Friday, November 4, 2016

Mr. Leon - D Day Veteran.


"Mr. Leon - D Day Veteran. My Neighbor Series" fabriano soft press/cretacolor sepia



Mr. Leon is Carson's oldest resident. He is 101 years old from Puerto Rico. In the middle of our first session I learned he is a D Day Veteran. It was a pretty cathartic moment. With his permanently diminishing physical strength when making each word is a deliberate task that requires massive concentration of precious energy, he'd say once and again: "I was in a D Day". At this moment his entire demeanor would change as if he heard the hell of incoming fire. His features would inexplicably take a forceful expression of a complete determination. 



With his permanently diminishing physical strength when making each word is a deliberate task that requires massive concentration of precious energy, he'd say once and again: "I was in a D Day". At this moment his entire demeanor would change as if he heard the hell of incoming fire. His features would inexplicably take a forceful expression of a complete determination.




That were moments of pure Beauty. Inside his feeble body the same Spirit would wake that led him out of the landing craft and through the water and onto the sand of Omaha. "There was German fire coming down on us from the top on the right. Than the guys who were there before us got on'em from the side…they had to turn their fire away from us and on them, soon they were shooting no more. That’s why I made it through the water…that’s why I lived. Someone died so I lived.