Skip to main content

The Father's Day After

Two years ago my mother passed away and my friend Donald and his wife Sondra were expecting their first child. They did what real friends do when you need support.  They made a 6 hour road trip to North Carolina for the funeral.  

On June 24, 2008 they had their first baby girl and I made the trip over to the hospital.  It wasn't 6 hours but the same love and support was in the ride, lol. Prior to entering the hospital I had no idea that mommy and the baby had minor complications.  When my wife and I arrived we checked in with Don and we were off to the childrens ICU.  At the time I didn't know that Don hadn't held his baby girl.  It was one of those times were I'm glad I brought my camera along.  It was a defining moment in our friendship.  I had the privilege of capturing the first time he held his daughter.  It also meant for us a rite of passage.  We share two of the most special moments in our lives.  He witnessed the day I laid my mother down to rest for the last time and I got to witness the first time he picked his daughter up.  That's what a friendship is all about.  

Congrats, Don Happy Father's Day Bro!       











Comments

Dani said…
JJ that brought tears to my eyes..really. That is so special and your right it defines a rite of passage moment between the two of you. GREAT JOB!!!
Dani
That was awesome JJ....when I grow up I wanna be just like.......Jesus....Smiles.....that was great I love the Black and white shots....awesome work.... Cuzzin

Popular posts from this blog

The Measure of a Man.........

the details are below the photos it's a must read story for the men.... The title of this blog maybe familiar to some, it's that of the autobiography of actor Sidney Poitier.  When you mention his name the words courage, great, intelligent, daring, brilliant and faithful may come to mind.  I've got a new name that replaces those words, Von Johnson.   My friend. My brother.  My cousin.  My new HERO. How and what does that have to do with the title? Yesterday, I observed what it means to live the final portion of your wedding vows,  "till death do us part"...... I can't even put it into words how I felt yesterday.  The only word that comes close is "helpless".   It was one of the rare moments in life where you want to take someone else's pain and throw it down the river and start fresh. I learned what the measure of a man is all about.   Can you live on life's edge and handle all it dishes out?  Can you stand in the toughest moments of opposit...

The Players That You Never Knew

With the opening Friday Night of the 2014 high school football season on the horizon, every barbershop in every small-town in America is probably buzzing with the conversation of who are greatest high school football players of all time.  It's a valid question considering the pool of talent that passes through most small towns.  People often wonder where these guys end up long after their playing days are over.  I've often asked the same question about many of my ex-teammates. Two in particular, Darius Brewnington and Kenny Shaw. If you were an athlete in the early 1990's they were arguably considered two of the most influential athletes in North Carolina's rich high school football history.  Unfortunately, like many other high profile athletes life happens.  However, even with the growing pains of life every man has his day of redemption.  With Darius and Kenny being former teammates of mine I wanted to see for myself who they are 20 years removed fr...

Pete's Road Trip

Two weeks ago my friend Pete decided to take a road trip without me. If you're like me, you're probably thinking some friend right? I guess it goes to show you that like most friendships, we too were total opposites. In our teen years, Pete was always there for my major sports accomplishments. For example, when we went to team camp at High Point University he and I won the 2 on 2 competition for the first time, together. A few years later we won the North Carolina State 3-A Basketball Title, and in my sophomore year of college he was in the stands when I scored my first collegiate touchdown. He and our mutual friend Johnny were going nuts. I celebrated so hard that Lamont Burns had to slap me so that we could kick the extra point. Pete was like a little brother to me. So like any other sibling relationship, I would have never told him that he was my motivation for my many athletic accomplishments. It's a part of the unspoken sibling code, worry your brothers, sis...