Company specializes in preserving lifelong memories

During wartime, the measure of a hero can be many things: a young soldier leaving home for the first time, a spouse supporting children alone, a nurse caring for wounded in the face of battle, and even children maintaining a brave face while their parents are off to war. Hollywood has translated the war experience hundreds of times, but these big-budget interpretations often contain flawed portrayals of who those heroes really were and what, exactly, they went through.

The stories of these heroes range from times of loss and despair to times of happiness and hope. While those memories may be burned into the minds of those that lived them, it is difficult to find the right place, time, and even the words to share them with families. Many veterans, along with others from various walks of life, are turning to an Indianapolis-based company to help them pass along their lifelong memories.

Kelli Dalton, founder and CEO of Somersaults Life Archives, is in the business of preserving family memories, converting them into multimedia art pieces that families can share and enjoy forever: documentary films, audio recordings, photo books and artwork.

"Our mission is to preserve the true spirit of people by allowing them to tell their stories first-hand," Dalton said. "So many of us wish we could have a piece of our family history after a loved one has passed, and I wanted to create a way for us to preserve that legacy for future generations to enjoy and honor."

Dalton strives to provide the best quality, attention to detail and unique family character in every piece. She's assembled a staff with more than 50 years of media experience, including NBC, ESPN, CBS and HD Discovery Theatre. Dalton's vision and ability to instantly connect to families has heralded a great response.

"It was as though I had all this information stored in the basement of the mind and, in remembering friends, I opened up that room and brought these things out to look at again," said U.S. Army Pfc. E. Carver McGriff. "I realized that to make sense of it requires finally and ultimately having to accept that it did happen. The damage was horrendous and it would dishonor (those that died) if we came out with any easy answers."

While Hollywood has long glamorized the war experience, no one knows better, and can communicate the real story, than those who have lived it. Companies such as Dalton's allow veterans to develop an audio-visual record of their lives that rivals the quality of The History Channel for their very own families. After all, our veterans are America's real heros; they deserve to have their stories preserved.

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