George the duck to be honored in mural

Local artist adds in tribute to duck in massive mosaic

It is a story that grabbed national headlines 10 months ago. George the duck's last minutes were brutal and unnecessary. 

While the female duck with the funny male name was a popular mascot for River Walk patrons before, George has reached legendary status in death.

"George was a fixture," said Oscar Alvarado.

That is the reason George can be found perched front and center in Alvarado's massive tile mosaic, a piece that Alvarado was commissioned to create for the Hilton Palacio Del Rio.  

Asked to create an artist's view of the River Walk, Alvarado went to work months ago.

"One of the things they asked for were ducks," said the well-known artist.

It was around that time that George's story came to light.

"We'd pretty much designed the mural and George's death occurred before I actually made it, so we had the opportunity to sort of alter it a bit," said Alvarado.

Alvarado did just that, offering up a small tribute of sorts to the River Walk's most famous duck by adding her to the mural. 

The project is now nearing completion and in just a few weeks, it will have a home inside the lobby of the Hilton Palacio Del Rio.

"We're very proud of it," said Robert Thrailkill, general manager of the Hilton Palacio Del Rio. "We look forward to showcasing the mural very soon."

By keeping the memory of George alive, her supporters hope that someday there may be justice for George.

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About the Author

Justin Horne is a meteorologist and reporter for KSAT 12 News. When severe weather rolls through, Justin will hop in the KSAT 12 Storm Chaser to safely bring you the latest weather conditions from across South Texas. On top of delivering an accurate forecast, Justin often reports on one of his favorite topics: Texas history.

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