We had less than an hour, so my plan of easing into the shoot with some heavy chit chat were foiled. After we nailed down the outfits, she pulled out a small ziplock bag with pictures inside. "This is my car after the accident," she said, as I viewed a tangle of metal, which I barely recognized as a vehicle with 4 wheels. "This was me in the hospital," again, there was not much to see-head bandaged, neck braced, with the slits of her eyes showing. "I was in a wheelchair for months." It was hard to believe that the strong women in front of me had suffered such a horrible car accident, the only reminders were the faint scars on her legs and stomach. I can only imagine the pain that she must have endured during her 16 surgeries, and the immense amount of physical therapy and training involved to puzzle her body back together again. Her doctor was skeptical about the possibilities of her returning to the athletic world. Jessica was not deterred. Her dedication and determination allowed her to complete her first marathon 10 years later, and continue her fitness goals. And guess who received her marathon picture with a note of thanks-her incredible surgeon. Sometimes life has a way of turning itself around-particularly when you put in the work to do so!
Thank you Jessica for sharing your story, and for the great shoot.
For my portfolio, please visit www.peanutportraits.com
