Heather Burks keeps caricatures done by Glenn Ferguson in her front foyer.

“It’s kind of like, some people have family photos in the foyer. That’s what we have – is his pictures,” Burks said.

Burks’ family has 13 caricatures by Ferguson proudly displayed throughout their home.

Burks is one of many people across the country offering support to Ferguson and his family. Ferguson, a caricature artist at Universal Orlando is slowly recovering after being critically stabbed by a co-worker on New Year's Day.

Burks’ family first met Ferguson on a visit to Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

“Every time we go to the park, we’d look through the park until we found him,” she said. “Sometimes get more done. He would talk to you, get to know you and it’s like you could just tell he was looking for your personality.”

Her husband, an elementary school art teacher in Brevard County, couldn’t get enough of Ferguson’s caricatures after he took home a portrait of him and his son.

“We just had so much fun,” James Burks said. “His interaction with us kept us laughing. Great time. And so I got his business card. Asked him, ‘do you come to schools? Because I’m a school teacher and would love to have the kids experience this.’ He says, ‘Yeah, I go to schools.’”

“We put a camera behind him so they could see what he was doing and it was projected on a screen, but the person who was a model, was turned away from it, so they couldn’t see why the kids were laughing at them,” Burks laughed. “Oh my goodness. They absolutely love it. That was one of their favorite days of the year.”

Ferguson came back to visit the elementary students for years.

“He likes to share the fun of what he does,” James Burks said. “One of the kids asked him, ‘Well, how often do you draw?’ And he got a big smile on his face and says, ‘I draw every day.’”

But for now, Ferguson can’t draw.


Glenn Ferguson, seen with his wife, was allegedly stabbed by a former co-workers at Universal's Islands of Adventure on New Year's Day. (Ferguson Family)

The award-winning artist is being treated for severe stab wounds to his neck and brain. An angry employee who was recently fired as a caricature artist is accused of attacking Ferguson inside Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

“I’m still in shock,” James Burks said.

“It was heartbreaking and right away we just started praying for him,” Heather Burks said.

A week after the attack, Ferguson’s family said he awoke from his medically-induced coma, and is showing little signs of improvement.

“There’s a lot of people praying for Glenn,” Heather Burks said.

“We’re just praying for a full recovery and that he’ll be right back out there drawing and doing caricatures as soon as possible,” James Burks said.

Frederick Torres is charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing Ferguson. He’s being held at the Orange County Jail without bond.