Why this Website?
When Stephen died suddenly, I found myself in the place I thought I would experience only once in this lifetime - the loss of another dear loved one unexpectedly and indirectly being responsible for the care of the remnants of their life left behind. Hurt, confused and crushed, the wound from seven years ago that begun to knit together was ripped wide open again.
This devastating experience was like standing once again in heavy unrelating rain, with a bowed head, weary shoulders, a splintered heart and a mind refusing to process the experience.
However, what started of as overwhelming pain and numbness to move in any direction, within this storm, just as waves of loss and grief began to fade but then surged again and battered and slammed into me, one after another, with barely a breath between, I clung to the promise of Jesus as He brings comfort to the brokenhearted and life beyond this pain; He is the One who binds the brokenhearted and breathes life into loss - what was lost or stolen for a moment will be restored in eternity. I trusted Him then and I trust Him now. T
That being said, being responsible yet again for a person's valued possession is very stressful as emotions and memories are attached to almost everything they owned. And among the hardest things to face are his photographs.
Photos are more than paper or pixels; they are moments forever frozen in time, reminders of laughter, love, and life itself. Taking photos was not a hobby to him. It was recording moments his life and those he shared his life with. It was simply his way of capturing the beauty of life and the joy of being with others. Stephen began taking photos before the ease, affordability, and convenience of the camera phone. As a teenager he would save his pocket money to buy rolls of Kodak film with 12, 24 or 36 shots per roll; these rolls would then be developed in a studio’s dark room - specifically the photo studio at the bottom of High Street, San Fernando opposite the ‘take a look inside stores’. I dropped the rolls of film off and collected the prints in slightly waxy white paper envelopes. The photos came printed on smooth, glossy paper - thick enough to feel substantial between your fingers, yet soft enough to curl slightly at the corners with time. Tucked in the back was a narrow strip of film negatives - dark yet translucent, held to the light to match with phots if copies are needed. Each image had that faint chemical scent, a mix of paper, ink, and the mysterious magic of the photo lab.
When I gave them to him, he would skillfully ignore the negatives, locate his treasure ensuring his fingers only ever touched the edges of the photos and smiled ear to ear shaking his head as he studied each new memory, preserved forever - memories forever suspended in time.
As years went by photos continued to share story of his life -growing up year by year, sharing adventures with friends and family, traveling, working alongside colleagues, celebrating achievements, his faith and even his bodybuilding journey focusing arms and shoulders and avoiding stomach and leg photos.
While trying to manage his precious photos I decided creating a place where his much-loved photos could be stored would be the a good solution to keep and store his photos. But what began as a space to store Stephen’s photos online grew into something more. This website evolved into not only a tribute to the memories he captured but also to the faith he cherished which I believe he would have insisted I include.
It is not meant to be flashy, depressing, or preachy. Rather, it is meant to reflect his life, to bless, to bring joy, and to spark memories for those who knew and loved him.
Stephen’s sudden passing was devastating, but those who knew him and believe in Jesus would know what he would something like this to us now- “Don’t worry about me. I am with our Heavenly Father, where I have always longed to be. Don’t stay in sadness - look forward, for your redemption draws near. I love you all, and I’ll see you again when your time here is done. Until then, trust God, care for your children, and raise them to know Jesus and love those around you.”
And to those who do not yet know Christ, I believe Stephen’s message would be - “You have free will, choose wisely. Time is fleeting. Choose Jesus. I love you. If you choose eternal life, I’ll be waiting to greet you.”
This website is created with love and respect. Please honor that. If the content does not speak to you, I kindly ask that you simply move on. But if you stay, may it remind you of the gift of time, the importance of memories, and the hope we have in Jesus.
I pray this website brings a smile to your face, hope for a great future and prompts you to reflect on where you will spend eternity. Be encouraged and blessed! Natalie (Cutie)