Volunteer Photographer
Appearances
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
And I remember I was just sitting and thinking, like, well, one thing we've been doing is driving around, so maybe, like, something I can do to help is drive around and take pictures of these homes.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
So I said, hello, everyone. Our home and family is all OK and safe. That being said, we are behind the barricades. We are more than happy to drive around and take a picture for any person who would like to see their home or, God forbid, what is left of their home. Please let me know the address.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
So I started getting responses pretty quickly, probably like 5, 10 minutes after I posted it. And then when they shared the address, they write something and they say, oh, I brought my children home to that house. I've had people say I was born in that house. Actually, I had somebody say my grandma was born in the house. I was married in that house.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
The goal is to get the photos as quick as possible without delay to these people about their homes because you can imagine the agony of somebody sitting in a shelter not knowing. So how many people have you responded to so far?
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
Can you just explain the process to me? It's difficult. So when the house is there, I send the picture and I don't say anything because there is no words needed. Usually I get a thank you. When the house isn't there, that's when it becomes a little bit more challenging. Some people will send me, hey, can you send me the status of my home?
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
I know it's probably gone, but it would be great to know what the situation looks like. And then there's the ones that are like, I have no idea. if you could send me a picture and those are the hard ones because you know, you're the one who's going to break the news. And so I just, I send a picture and I say, I'm so sorry for your loss is usually all I say. And they usually respond with something.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
And then I'll follow up with, I wish I could do more to help. Like I wish there was something else I could do to help. You know, you can't, there's not much you can say if somebody's lost their home. And then I've also had, like, the occasional, like, after I send the burnt house, they'll send me photos of the house prior. I remember one of the houses that they sent that burned. Oh, my God.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
It was, you know, really burnt. And they sent me a picture. The house was beautiful. I mean, it really was. That one was hard.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
What a beautiful home. I'm so sorry. I mean, it really was. It had a beautiful garden, like... I'm looking at the picture now. It's like it's a dark brown roof. The house is like off white and the yard has like bushes and the bushes have like pink, small pink flowers. They had like a bench on the outside of their house.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
And it's like a red bench, which really goes with the house, honestly, because it really complemented the color of the house. It made it stick out, you know.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
Every way had a tree, a huge tree that fell in the middle of the road blocking it. And I said, this is going to be the one that I'm not going to be able to send out. On their fourth attempt, they finally got closer to the address, but encountered another tree blocking the road. So Vanessa got out of the car and started walking. She sent me the video. Okay.
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
I'm like walking under the poles and like going in between wires. Like, I couldn't figure out which house it was. I mean, it was that that area was like demolished. Like, it looks like somebody dropped a bomb in that area. And like, there's nothing. There's not even... You know when you go to a house and you see those house numbers on the curb?
This American Life
852: Pivot Point
But it was just like, I'm going to make a general video and just like hopefully I hit the house. And I sent that one and I told the person like, please let me know if I am getting your house because I'm here now and I can get another picture or get another video if needed. And they said, no, that's perfect. Like you got it.