My family tree has twigs and blossoms in all directions, and it was along one of those less-familiar branches that I finally met Carlee and her mom Felicia about ten years ago. Since then, I have loved having her family's presence along my peripheral orbit: we’ve been keeping up through Facebook, extended family events, and delightful bumpings-into for local events like homecoming (one of the many perks of small-town living). Felicia was an inspiration for many- often doing "Random Acts of Kindness," especially for birthdays — the bigger the birthday, the more numerous the fun surprises. She was also unapologetically pro-all human rights and fiercely loyal to her friends and family.
So, when Felicia reached out last summer to plan for Carlee’s session, it was an exciting way to connect again and have a great time planning the perfect day! Sadly, we lost her to an aggressive form of cancer just a couple weeks before meeting up to do the portraits. What was supposed to be a fun and exciting time turned into something a bit more somber as Carlee and I sought ways of incorporating her mother's spirit throughout the evening. She had some great ideas. We started at the tree they had always wanted to use for family portraits, and then at our next location, we took a picture of Carlee at the beach holding her mom’s own high school graduation photo taken 20 years earlier.
We’re cheering you on into your next chapter, Carlee!
I find Carlee an absolute inspiration. From handling the gun violence tragedy at her high school to grappling with her mom’s illness, THEN weathering all the changes and uncertainties of the covid19 pandemic, Carlee embodies #SantaFeStrong through and through! We are all so proud of Carlee for completing her studies and earning her degree in spite of everything. Can’t wait to see how she’ll carry on her mom’s values toward helping and healing the world!