Ronda Churchill

Stories: Flatdaddy

Patt Sprague, 62, takes her husband 's likeness everywhere she and her two grandchildren go. Her husband, Richard Sprague, 46, is currently deployed in Iraq with the 593rd Medium Transportation Company with the Nevada Army National Guard. Patt created a life-size cardboard cutout through flatdaddy.com in order to have a remembrance of her husband while he was deployed.

Patt Sprague, 62, sits with a cardboard cutout of her husband Richard while listening to Congressman John Porter's band "Second Amendments" during the Armed Forces Foundation's Operation Oasis concert and fair at the Venetian hotel-casino on behalf of Military Family Appreciation Day Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007. Richard Sprague is currently deployed in Iraq with the 593rd Medium Transportation Company with the Nevada Army National Guard.
  
Joshua Lopez, 7, carries a cardboard cutout of his grandfather Richard above his head while walking to a picnic in Freedom Park at Nellis Air Force Base Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007. The family, who refer to the cardboard cutout as “Grandpa,” take the cutout almost everywhere they go.
   
Patt looks over at the life-size cardboard cutout of her husband Richard during a picnic in Freedom Park for family members of deployed and remote soldiers at Nellis Air Force Base Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007. Patt’s grandson Christian Lopez, 11, looks on.
     
  
Christian walks with “Grandpa” during a family picnic for family members of deployed and remote soldiers, which is sponsored by Airman and Family Readiness Center, at Nellis Air Force Base Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007.
  
Mary Lopez, the mother of the Sprague's grandchildren, helps move into their new home Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007 in North Las Vegas. Richard's deployment has helped the family save money in order to move from their cramped mobile home into a spacious and modern house.
   
Patt hugs the cutout on moving day Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007 in North Las Vegas. "Grandpa" shows signs of wear from the grandchildren playing with it and from Patt’s hugs
     
  
A photograph of Sgt. Richard Sprague and his wife Patt lays on the bed near a stuffed animal and cutout in the master bedroom Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007.
  
“Grandpa” sits at the dinner table with Sprague's grandson Joshua Wednesday, Aug. 22 in North Las Vegas. Richard’s wife Patt eats dinner at the counter nearby. The family always save a spot for the cutout when they eat dinner together.
   
Richard Sprague laughs and explains that he doesn't like to have his photo taken while his wife Patt hugs him during a Labor Day and welcome home BBQ Monday, Sept. 3, 2007. Richard returned the previous day from a 14 month-long deployment in Iraq with the Nevada Army National Guard's 593rd Medium Transportation Company. Patt retired her flatdaddy cardboard cutout of Richard, leaving it to rest among patriotic decorations on the front porch of their new home.