More Than Kids

Back To Novato Blvd

Earlier this month I visited San Marin High School to say hello to "old friends." I will always have great memories of the students, staff and community.

I will also remember a student I never met. A couple weeks after I started teaching last year, a student from the cross town high school died in a car accident. The student had been a pasenger and died at the scene. His friends and/or family built a roadside memorial, and maintained it throughout the year. Because of my work with Mothers of Angels, I felt compelled to visit the site often and pray for the family.

When I returned to San Marin this month, I drove down the county road again and visited.

 

Isaac Brott Roadside Memorial - One Year Later - Images by bryan farley

Last month, I visited Fresno County for my annual shoot with the Mothers of Angels. I saw a another roadside memorial that has been maintained by the landowners years after another teen age boy died in a car accident. These road signs help heal the unimaginable.

Isaac Brott 2011 Memorial

During the 2010-2011 school year, I remembered Isaac Brott and his family. Isaac attended Novato High, the rival school across town, but he died near San Marin High School. When I applied for the open multimedia teaching position on August 16, 2010, I was in Fresno preparing for my annual Mother of an Angel photo shoot. 

On September 17, 2010, Isaac died in a car accident down the road from San Marin. Every week during the school year, I visited his roadside memorial. During the first few weeks, I visited every day. Later, I visited every week, except the weeks that we were gone on vacation.

Visiting helped me remember who I was as a teacher, photographer, father and person.Even when I realized that my position was going to be eliminated, I knew that I had something greater to teach my students. Life matters. Relationships matter. People make a difference. My students' parents wanted me to take care of their children. My own children wanted me to drive home safely and tuck them in at night.  I wanted to be there for them... for all of them.

 

Isaac Brott Novato Roadside Memorial 2011 - Images by bryan farley

 

I often thought about Isaac's family and friends too. Isaac's death has changed their lives forever. While I believe in the power of imagery to change behavior, I also know that photos can only do so much.

A New Holiday Tradition

Since I returned from Thanksgiving Break, I have limited my visits to the Isaac Brott roadside memorial. Originally, I visited every day before school with one exception. Over the break I decided I would visit once a week.

Since I have been working with the Mother of An Angel Friendship Network, I am aware that families whose children die, create new holiday traditions. I imagine this holiday season is difficult for Isaac's family.

Not So Happy Holidays - Images by bryan farley

I am also aware that I feel different about the holidays. I still celebrate. In some ways, I am more grateful than ever, but I can also see behind Santa's curtain (to mix a metaphor). I wonder if my father felt the same way, but even more so. Working in law enforcement and arriving at scenes like that later become roadside memorials must have taken away some of his holiday cheer. 

My heart goes out to all families who suffer this year, whether they have lost a child or parent or an opportunity to make something right.

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Isaac Brott Memorial Day 32 to 64

As the days became shorter, cooler and wetter, I continued visiting before school. 

We celebrated Halloween. The Giants won their first World Series since moving to San Francisco. There was an election. (Jerry Brown is Governor again; the last time he was Governor, Isaac had not been alive.)  Visitors brought gifts for Isaac's 16th birthday.

More animals seem to be visiting... and the people continue stopping by the memorial to grieve or remember or both.

 

Isaac Brott Roadside Memorial _ Day 32 to 64 - Images by bryan farley

These photos were all taken before the Thanksgiving holiday, from October 18th to November 19, 2010.

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Isaac Brott Day 25 to 29

My ritual continues before school. More profoundly, the ritual continues for those who lost their friend or son or brother.

During this week, I noticed that some people were leaving new items, while others were leaving beer cans. I decided that I would not clean up the area; just photograph the area. One jogger who I have seen previously, stopped and took the large beer can with her. She thought that someone was disrepspecting the memorial.

 

Isaac Brott Roadside Memorial _ Day 22-29 - Images by bryan farley bf