October 11, 2025 — As the sun rose over David McDonald Park on Saturday morning, visitors continued to gather before the long, black panels of The Wall That Heals — tracing names, leaving flowers, and standing quietly in reflection. The traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica has been in Clovis since Thursday, and with just one more day left to visit, thousands have already come to pay their respects.
Hosted by the Clovis Veterans Memorial District in partnership with the Fresno City and County Historical Society, The Wall That Heals brings the powerful message of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. to communities across America. The exhibit, featuring a three-quarter-scale replica of the original wall and a mobile Education Center, will remain open through Sunday, October 12, at David McDonald Park.
For Lorenzo Rios, CEO of the Clovis Veterans Memorial District and a veteran himself, the response from the community has been deeply moving. “The most important part,” Rios said, “is seeing our values in practice — families coming out here to find closure, military members rekindling old relationships, and children realizing the cost of freedom.”
Since its arrival, thousands have walked the Wall’s length, searching for familiar names and finding moments of connection. “It’s one of the only memorials that lists every lost soul,” Rios added. “A veteran has two deaths — one when they take their last breath, and another when their name is no longer spoken. Here, their names live again.”
Elizabeth Laval, President of the Fresno City and County Historical Society, described the experience as “truly remarkable.” “I’ve seen the Wall in D.C., but having it here in our own backyard is something special,” she said. With her son currently serving in the U.S. Army, Laval admitted that the sight of so many names hits close to home. “It’s bittersweet,” she said. “It gives me hope — hope that people will remember, and that they’ll keep honoring those who served.”
On Sunday, visitors will have one last opportunity to experience The Wall That Heals before it departs Clovis. The site will remain open 24 hours a day until it closes at 2 p.m. Sunday, October 12.
As Rios reflected on the week, he said the exhibit has done exactly what its name promises — it has healed. “It allows us to be vulnerable, to talk to one another, and to confront the things we’ve kept boxed in,” he said. “America is worth fighting for — and this Wall reminds us why.”