A Beautiful Family

Almalinda Guerrero-Gonzales has five children, and all of them have special needs. She escaped her physically abusive husband months after giving birth to an infant with Down syndrome. Her oldest, now 8, suffers from seizures and migraines; she has twin 7-year-olds, one of whom can walk only with braces on her legs; and her 5-year-old is being treated for autism, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. She was getting help from a program called Nevada PEP (Parents Encouraging Parents) but the program will lose its $200,000-a-year grant for the program two years early because of federal budget cuts.

I spent only one evening with Almalinda and her wonderful children, but their story has stuck with me during this holiday season. I cannot imagine the struggles that Almalinda goes through. Her strength is truly awe-inspiring.

 Please read the Las Vegas Sun story by David McGrath Schwartz and see more photos here.

The New Homeless

These are the faces of the new homeless. Families who once had it all, and because of circumstance, the economy, the foreclosure crisis and bad luck, lost it all in a blink of the eye. We do a lot of stories like this in the media business, especially lately in Nevada. But I never tire of hearing these tales. I shot portraits of three amazing families for this week's cover story by Ken Miller for Las Vegas Weekly. These families have come through dark times together and have made it through to other side. Meeting people like this, who band together in rough times and become stronger, is always an inspiration to me. I know it sounds cheesy, but they have made me appreciate what I have now because it could easily be gone.

(Cover and feature design by the always awesome Ryan Olbrysh)