Man Creates 3D Printed Bust to Remember Lost Brother

On June 28, Christopher Hoffman suffered a sudden and traumatic loss.

His brother James died after his arm was cut on a window.

James and Christopher were close and shared a love for technology. So Christopher decided to commemorate his brother with a 3D printed bust.

“This last week we gathered all of his friends and family and held a memorial to celebrate his life,” explained Christopher to 3D Print. “It was a day of telling stories, showing pictures, laughing and crying with all of those lives James touched. I wanted to do something special for my family.”

Prior to James’ death, the brothers had used an XBox 360 Kinect to make a 3D scan of James’ face. So Christopher used that file to create an enduring image of his beloved brother.

“I had the idea of creating a memorial statuette of James, one that guests could hold in their hands, and my parents could place next to his urn,” Christopher said.

Christopher said that the bust helped family and friends to connect with their lost loved one in a unique way. He also said he is glad technology made the bust possible.

“I’ve used 3D printing in a variety of projects, but I think using it to share memories of my older brother has been my favorite use by far,” stated Christopher about his unique and personal project that has helped his family through a difficult time.