Original artist offers help with new Jesus statue

6-story landmark burned down after lightning strike

Published June 17, 2010 1:45PM (EDT)

Flames shoot up from the "King of King's" statue of Jesus Christ standing outside of Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 15, 2010. The six-story-tall statue of Jesus with his arms raised along a highway was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm Monday night, June 14, 2010 around 11:15 p.m. and burned to the ground, police said. (AP Photo/The Dayton Daily News, Tiffani West-May)   (AP)
Flames shoot up from the "King of King's" statue of Jesus Christ standing outside of Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 15, 2010. The six-story-tall statue of Jesus with his arms raised along a highway was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm Monday night, June 14, 2010 around 11:15 p.m. and burned to the ground, police said. (AP Photo/The Dayton Daily News, Tiffani West-May) (AP)

An artist who designed an Ohio church's giant statue of Jesus that was destroyed by lightning this week says he's willing to help replace it.

Brad Coriell of Nashville, Tenn., says he has not been in contact with the Solid Rock Church but would be honored to be involved.

Co-pastor Darlene Bishop at the church along an interstate north of Cincinnati says Coriell could be among the artists who will submit designs and cost estimates for a new statue. Church officials say it's likely to look different from the original six-story "King of Kings."

A lightning strike Monday sparked a fire that burned down the plastic foam and fiberglass statue that was nicknamed Touchdown Jesus because of the way the arms were raised.

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Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com


By Associated Press

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