Carol Isfeld began knitting dolls like this for her son, Master Corporal Mark “Izzy” Isfeld, to hand out to children while he was serving as a peacekeeper in the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in Croatia. He was killed by a landmine explosion on that mission on 21 June 1994.
After his death, Carol Isfeld and her friends continued to make ”Izzy” dolls to remember Mark’s service. Other Canadians joined in, knitting thousands of dolls to be sent to children in need. Canadian soldiers and healthcare providers give Izzy dolls to children in conflict zones and disaster-torn areas.
The tag on this doll reads: “IZZY DOLL Made for you with love in memory of Mark Isfeld killed in Kakma, Croatia 21 jun 94 removing landmines serving with 1CER Unprofor.”
