2008.11.29
Backstory: Photographing my friend
Story | Brooke Smith: Letting go, letting God
There are some people whose personality and spirit can fill up an entire room. Brooke Smith is one of those people.
I met Brooke (at right) for the first time a year and a half ago when she joined the Star City Roller Girls. I had been playing roller derby for six months by then; she was a natural from day one. Skating with her has always been an adventure; she is the only player I've ever seen put a skater from an opposing team in a headlock during the middle of a game. Brooke may not be the cleanest player (headlocks are illegal in derby), but she is definitely a crowd favorite.
We were sitting on the floor of a studio during a team photo shoot when Brooke told me she had found a lump in her back and another in her breast. She'd had some tests done, but the doctors didn't know what was wrong.
A few weeks passed, and I didn't hear much about Brooke's test results. I think when it comes to family and friends, we all want to believe that everything is fine, especially with someone so young and vibrant.
