Last fall I was contacted to shoot Caleb and his family after they received some horrible news. On April 3, 2008, Caleb was diagnosed with a cancer in his brainstem, a rare disease called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. On July 21, 2009 the disease claimed Caleb’s life (for more info on the disease go HERE). I was unaware that he had passed so was obviously unable to make the funeral, so you can imagine my shock when I got a letter in the mail a few short weeks after Caleb’s death; I’d like to share it as it had me in a pile of tears.
Dear Beth -
We didn’t know if you’d read that Caleb’s battle came to an end on July 21. He was at home with Ken and his brothers.
Since that day, I’ve looked at the photos you took for us hundreds of times. I really thought I’d looked at them so many times before that there were permanantly engraved in my mind. But now I don’t have Caleb here in my arms, I so long to recapture the feeling of being in his physical presence. Your photos are the closest thing. I can look into his eyes - here his laughter – remember the feeling of tousling his shaggy hair.
Those images truly captured Caleb and our family as we were. Soon after – the next day in fact, Caleb began chemo. He changed physically very quickly. He lost his hair, became a bit puffier. Your images caputred him, and him with his brothers, during the last moments he was still ‘our Caleb’ in the physical sense.
I know the photos would be treasured and would bring me – all of us – great comfort during these days. I never fathomed how great and how important they would become.
Thank you Beth from the bottom of our hearts and the depths of our souls. Thank you.
Ken & Kim Spady and family
What resonates over and over as I re-read this letter is how selfless this family has become, how overwhelmingly generous they have been with their gratitude and love for the large circle of people that surrounded them during this brutal year. They have lost a son and they wrote ME the most amazing thank you letter I have EVER received. As little as I knew Caleb I know that he was loved by one of the most amazing families I’ve had the chance to encounter. I wish to HONOR him today.
I also wanted to thank all of my clients and friends of Caleb for donating money last fall for the Spady’s. The response was amazing and obviously the Spady’s appreciate each and every one of you.
We will all remember Caleb and hope that at some point the amazing memories of Caleb will outweigh the pain of his loss.
Thank YOU. 
by bethcjansen
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