Over the holidays last year, my office assistant, Rita’s, son, Ricky, built bottle cap snowmen and raised $2,300 for a wonderful local family. You see, Shawna Huckaby’s eldest son, Ben, was diagnosed with cancer in July of last year and they have spent the best part of the last year undergoing treatments to fight it. Ben was supposed to be in Ricky’s class but has been unable to attend school due to the possibility of contracting a virus.
This is a small community and when someone is in-need, people rally together. For my part, I offered the family a shoot last year. Just this last week Shawna let me know they were ready to be photographed.
Of course, I say “they” but little brother, Sam, who is just two, was not exactly thrilled about the idea of being photographed. Ah, the toddler stage: the beginnings of physical agility and independence without the awareness or maturity to handle it. If you’re a parent you’ve been there. It’s a joyful but challenging time, chasing a toddler around.
Ben, however, had no such reservations. He is a brave and strong boy with beautiful and sweet blue eyes, something which Ben says everybody tells him:) Like all six year olds, he wants to be running around but he is unable to because the consequences of getting hurt are too great. He wears this frustration with maturity and grace, something which he obviously gets from his mother who is an inspiration in her spirit and patience. Dealing with two young boys is exhausting at the best of times, but Ben’s illness adds an extra dose of challenge and anxiety.
I was so thrilled to capture Ben’s beautiful spirit with my camera and wish him a clean bill of health very soon.
Thanks to Boeger Winery and Shelley Morford for helping out!
