Mothers of An Angel Second Year - Nicole De La Cruz

I first learned about Nicole De La Cruz in the Fall of 2005. I tried to forget, but I could not.

My wife and I were driving around the San Francisco Bay Area; we were listening to a radio station that plays traffic and weather every ten minutes.  We might have been traveling for Thanksgiving  or driving to work. Perhaps we were driving to the doctor's office; we were expecting our second child.

On the morning of Nicole's tragedy, Nicole left her two children with a baby sitter. Nicole expected that the baby sitter would watch Nicole's kids. Nicole expected that she would pick up her kids after work. Many parents trust others to watch their children. As parents, we find that we must trust others to watch our children. Nicole will not be able to trust the same way again.

 

 

 

(launch) Mothers of an Angel 3 Nicole

 - Images by bryan farley

Parents probably never trust others completely. Parenting is tiring, which is one reason that we must rest. Sometimes, we must even escape and watch television. We watch situation comedies. We listen to the radio. Sometimes, we might escape too much, but I wonder if we spend so much time escaping, because our television programs are interrupted by news updates teasing us to watch the evening news and learn about the latest family tragedy.

I want to learn more about how families like Nicole's can recover. I want to hear about how communities can support her oldest son who probably witnessed his brother's death.  How does he heal? How do we help him become a leader? A teacher? A big brother?

Comments

[Kimberley Libecki]

Oh my God. I said it in my email...Oh my God. I love you Nicole. I love you Bryan. These photos, your words...oh my God. Nicole...I hope you've received what you were needing from this experience, because it has changed me, changed me in a huge way.

[bryan farley]

Thank you Kim for continuing to inspire/inform who I have become.

I remember when I first approached you about this project. I thought the idea might develop into a few good photos with some healing benefit. It feels that something bigger is happening.

Thank you again.