Veteran's Star Wars replicas featured at COSI's new exhibit

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- For fans of a galaxy far, far away, there is one stop you have to make this summer - The Unofficial Galaxies exhibit at COSI.

This one-of-a-kind exhibit includes the largest Star Wars fan collections in the world. But what makes this so unique are the items created just for this display at COSI and some pretty incredible replicas on loan from local builder groups.

One of the men behind those items is Tim O'Sullivan, an avid Star Wars fan turned creator. His work is impressive but what's even more impressive is the story of how he got started.

Looking at Tim's creations, you would assume he's spent a lifetime on movie sets, maybe as an animatronics expert or engineer. But you would be wrong. He actually retired from the military after serving over 21 years and then spending 10 years working for the government.

"I was wounded in Iraq and shortly after that I came back to the states and I needed something to do," said Tim. His hobby started with 3D printing and took off from there. 

"Then I got into remodeling, cad design, mold making, and a number of different skill sets that I didn't have before," said Tim.

That hobby quickly became a passion and through trial-and-error, Tim found a community of Star Wars enthusiasts and builders working together to make these characters come to life. He shared with us how many times his community of builders will find projects that they can take even beyond what the movies crews have done.

"For example, BB-8 in the film, he wasn't a real rolling robot during the film," said Tim. "He was CGI, they used like a wheelbarrow and put a guy in a green suit and wheelbarrow. And then people were like we got to make that. We can do it."

Tim not only found a community for projects like that, but also a community of support and a way out of the darkness he experienced due to his injury.

"It's the message I try to send to a lot of those veterans that in those dark places, you know, PTSD and other things is find a passion," said Tim. "Find something that will take you out of the darkness."

You can see Tim's creations on display along with the other incredible creations in Unofficial Galaxies through Labor Day at COSI. For tickets, click here.