Getting to shoot Ashleigh and Don’s engagement photos in Moorpark a few weeks ago was a complete honor. While all engagement sessions are special to me, this one truly warmed my heart, and you will understand why, as you keep reading.
A rare Tinder success story, Ashleigh and Don had their first date on October 15, 2014, and it went so well, they decided to have their second date the very next night on October 16, and their third on the 17th! Instantly falling in love, it wasn’t long before Ashleigh and her daughter Makayla moved in with Don four short months later in February of 2015. For a while, life was beautiful for these lovebirds, until tragedy struck on August 19, 2015, when Ashleigh suffered from a violent Grand Mal seizure and woke up in the hospital. Having to undergo a CT Scan once the seizure was under control, Ashleigh was told that she had a large lesion on the right temporal lobe of her brain and that she would need an MRI. Transferred to the best hospital with the best Neurosurgical team, after an MRI, it was determined that Ashleigh had a large tumor that was pressing on her brain stem, thus causing the seizure. On August 24, the hospital did a biopsy to determine what type of tumor it was. Praying that it was benign, the results showed that it was malignant, and a Temporal Lope Resection Surgery was scheduled for the next day. On August 25, 2015, just a few hours before her surgery, Ashleigh married the love of her life, Don, in her hospital bed. The months since have been incredibly painful, both physically and mentally, for Ashleigh, as she has slowly but surely come to terms with the fact that she has brain cancer, but having her husband and daughter by her side has given her every bit of strength she needs to continue on. Having to fight for her life to be around to watch her daughter go to prom, graduate, get married, and have kids of her own, is something this beauty never thought she had to worry about until now, but if anyone knows Ashleigh, they know she’s not going down with out a fight – she’s got a lot to live for!
This upcoming August, almost a year after her surgery, Ashleigh and Don are set to celebrate their beautiful marriage with their family and friends by their side. It goes without being said that I am truly touched to have gotten to take Ashleigh and Don’s engagement photos. The love between these two is an undeniable force and their positive outlook on life is beyond inspiring.
Ashleigh and Don, meeting you has been life changing. Thank you for letting me share your love story.
Lucas, you have such an amazing gift in your artistry of photography. You can make an ordinary place look magical! Thank you so much for the gorgeous photos of my daughter, Ashleigh, and her husband, Don.