Karen O'Hern

Jacob, a 10 year-old who received a life-saving heart transplant this past May, is adjusting to life’s “new normal”.
But what’s his quiet reality as he navigates the ordinary moments of childhood—family, school, sports, and playing with friends—through the lens of an extraordinary second chance?
Guided by unwavering faith and love for Jesus, Jacob and his family have emerged from a grueling nine-month emotional roller coaster. In less than a year, they went from raising a seemingly healthy boy to confronting a life-threatening illness, waiting for a transplant, and ultimately receiving a new chance at life.
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I had the privilege of photographing Jacob last week as part of the Missouri Photo Workshop in Maryville, MO, and documented a bit of that reality. Jacob and his family opened their home and graciously let me shadow their lives to capture this story in images. I'm incredibly grateful and profoundly touched to have met them.
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These photos were displayed at the Maryville Community Open House last Saturday, with the photo story still to come on the @mophotoworkshop website.
@jenwalter, #missouriphotoworkshop, #Maryville_Missouri, #photostory