SNOHOMISH – Photographer Bill McNay has an unusual offer:
He would like to take free portraits of cancer patients and their families.
After losing both his mother and father to cancer in less than five years, the Snohomish resident realized too late that he didn’t have any recent photos of his parents. Kevin Nortz / The Herald
During their extended illnesses, “hell on earth” for the whole family, taking photos was the last thing on his mind.
“I was all wrapped up in the denial, the grieving – everything that’s thrown at you when a loved one has cancer,” McNay said. “That’s when it really kind of hit me. You know, that’s pretty darn sad. For somebody who loves photography as much as I did not to have any pictures. So I’m offering out my services.”
In September, McNay came across his first subject in the classifieds, where he saw an ad for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. “Illness forces sale,” the ad said.
McNay called the number, and got Danny Vrieling, the owner of the bike and a cancer survivor.
Vrieling had a grapefruit-sized tumor removed in April, along with his stomach, gall bladder, spleen and part of his pancreas.
He was forced to try to sell his 1982 Harley Sportster not only because he was too sick to ride it, but to help with mounting hospital bills.
McNay told Vrieling about his idea, and offered to take his portrait with the motorcycle.
“At first I told him thank you very much, but I don’t think so. But then I got to thinking,” Vrieling said.
He talked it over with his wife, Christina, and called McNay back to set a date.
The two men hit it off, shooting the breeze and talking about cars. McNay took photos of Vrieling with his motorcycle, and then with his two dogs.
Before McNay left, Vrieling said something that stopped him in his tracks.
“He told me that he wanted to use the portrait that I’d taken of him as his memorial,” McNay said. “I didn’t know how to process that, but after I thought about if for a little while, I sat back and thought, ‘What an honor.’”
Vrieling sent the photos to his daughter, and is thinking about framing one or two of them.
Eight months after his surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, he’s still having a hard time.
He just had his first Thanksgiving without a stomach, which meant only a forkful or two for him while he watched everyone else “pig out.”
He struggles with depression, the ongoing effects of his cancer treatment and the financial tumult of being unemployed.
He’s also glad to be alive, and finding ways to fight back. He’s started going to the gym, and in a year or two hopes to be strong enough to go back to work, perhaps as a construction flagger.
“The doc says basically I got a 50 percent chance of still being here five years from now if the levee holds and the creek don’t rise,” Vrieling said.
He’s grateful that McNay called that day.
“For cancer survivors, in whatever state they’re in, it could be a real positive thing to have some nice pictures,” Vrieling said.
“Plus, if the worst happens and they pass away, it gives the family something to remember them with, too. I think it’s wonderful.”
Reporter Jennifer Warnick: 425-339-3429 or jwarnick@heraldnet.com.
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