"This nation will remain the land of the free, only so long as it is the home of the brave" ~Elmer Davis
How do you begin to thank someone for well over 20 years of military service? How do you look his children in the eyes and say I'm sorry that you didn't have your father around for a good deal of your childhood, but, selfishly, I'm glad that he was defending all of us? How do you explain to his wife, who bore the brunt of his absence with such grace and fortitude, that it was for the best? The answer is that you can't. There are no words. Don't get me wrong, you should absolutely try, but there are no words adequate to thank a family for their sacrifices over the years. LTC Blakeley's retirement ceremony was last weekend and I'm beyond honored that he asked me to play the role of documentarian. I have had the pleasure of photographing this family for several years now and I just love them. It broke my heart when they moved away so you can imagine how elated I was to hear that not only were they planning a retirement ceremony in Gettysburg but that they wanted ME to be a part of it. I am truly humbled by service members and their families. For those outside the military, their sacrifices are too great to even comprehend.
Thank you Blakeley family for all that you have sacrificed for the rest of us. You are truly amazing.
"Gold is good in it's place, but living, brave, patriotic men are better than gold" ~ Abraham Lincoln
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| ...his wonderful parents... |
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| ...it always amazes me when someone can speak in front of a crowd...I do NOT have that gift... |
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| ...the family... |
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| ...I came across this really cool old car in Gettysburg...you know I can't pass up something with awesome details!! |
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