Last year I decided to dedicate the picture “Road to Nowhere” from the Georgia collection to the honor of my Step Mother Jackie Dowd. This photo when I look at it has a wonderful and dark story behind it but this accidental photo became one of my most popular pictures in my art series. I decided to dedicate this photo to her memory because she was there with me when this photo took place.
This photo was taken on a day that I will never forget.
I was visiting my Dad in Georgia and Fran and I had plans to go to the allegedly haunted “Hawkinsville Mental Hospital” to get an up close and personal experience with the ghosts that supposedly lived in this abandoned hospital.
Just before we were ready to leave my step-mom Jackie started experiencing high blood pressure from a condition she was suffering from. My Dad had to go to work and was looking at calling in to take her there. Fran and I decided to take her with us as there was a hospital in Hawkinsville.
The day was very cold and rainy, a miserable day for pictures so I had no intention of taking photos but I brought my camera anyway. As we got to Hawkinsville we dropped Jackie off at the hospital and continued down to the center of town to see this abandoned mental hospital.
Around 4:00 we were ready to head back as Jackie was taken care of and released. By this time I had my Patriots jersey on getting ready for one of the biggest games I would ever watch; New England Patriots vs. New York Giants in the last game of the season. If New England won, they would have an undefeated regular season. The jersey kept me a bit warmer as it was another layer of clothing to wear.
As we were headed back to Warner Robbins we went down this street with bare Pecan Trees lining the streets. With the overcast sky and the barren trees it gave a creep factor similar to that of a horror movie.
I stopped the car and proceeded to get out. Jackie and Fran both asked me what I was doing. I said “I was going to take a picture of this road because it was beautifully creepy”. Jackie and Fran got out of the car to watch. They were bundled up freezing from the slight mist coming down around us.
I told Jackie and Fran to watch out for me as I was going to lay down in the busy street and take this photo. I took a lot of flack for doing so but what the end result was “Road to Nowhere”. I took like three shots in the entire capture process and got back in the car to get Fran and Jackie warm.
Jackie told me I was crazy, a photo wasn’t worth the risk however I disagree!
We finally got back to the house just in time to watch the game and enjoy time with Jackie and Dad. (BTW… the Patriots won that night and went 16-0)!
Jackie died about a year later very unexpectedly. Now when I look at the picture I can still see them shivering outside the car and getting lectured on the way home. For me this photo is a time capsule to one of the best days I’ve experienced because I can smell, feel and hear the day as all that is captured inside this photo!
I can’t believe she is gone!
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