My favorite picture of the year was taken as I was driving to my second assignment on Thanksgiving Day.
I saw Gail Stickney and her dog, Cody, in front of their house in Woodstock. Cody, a 10-year-old golden retriever, was gently resting his head on the porch watching as people walked by.
As photojournalists at the Valley News, we spend a lot of our time driving around looking for pictures of people throughout our community. When we see people out and about, we quickly assess the situation and decide if we should stop to make a photograph. I can’t quite say what it was but something compelled me to stop on this Thanksgiving Day. Maybe it was Stickney’s black coat and the contrast of the shutters on the house, or the body language of dog and owner.
I pulled my car over and met Stickney and Cody. I said I was with the Valley News, took a few pictures, and then Stickney called me closer. “I’ve got a story for you. It’s a tear-jerker, but I want to share it with you,” she said.
After a few weeks of showing mysterious symptoms, Cody was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Stickney said that Cody would likely only live a few more days. Upon learning the bad news, Stickney had canceled a flight to Chicago to be with her family for Thanksgiving in order to stay home with the beloved dog she’d had for over 10 years.
“I stayed home to give thanks to a wonderful life well-lived. For all of the joy and blessings that he’s given us,” said Stickney. “He needed to have his mom.”
Working the holidays isn’t always enjoyable but it’s part of our jobs. On Thanksgiving, I was given a much needed reminder of exactly why I do what I do. Because of my role as a photojournalist, Gail Stickney, who I’d just met moments before, was willing to share her story with me and let me document it.
A few days after this image was taken I heard from Stickney. Cody had died peacefully at home, with loving humans nearby. Stickney wanted to thank me for taking the image and to share that she planned on ordering this image of Cody and her to frame for their house to always remember him.
It’s my favorite picture of this year because it reminded me how lucky I am to have the privilege to tell the stories of others and preserve memories like Cody’s last precious days with Stickney.
Kristen Zeis has been interning at the Valley News since July.
The Valley News’ three staff photographers and two interns are sharing the stories behind their favorite photographs of the year. More of their favorites can be seen in the Photo Galleries section of this website.