Lake Placid, New York
Picture this. You take a trip up to one of your favorite winter vacation spots that you’ve visited for the past 4 years. You have exciting plans, you’re with your favorite person, and you’re in a gorgeous winter setting. Everything seems perfect, until it’s not. In February, this was the reality for Annie and Des. What seemed like a fun, no mess winter vacation turned out to be something quite the opposite when Des got in a severe skiing accident on Whiteface mountain. The accident was so bad, Des had to be airlifted to UVM and has no memory of the entire trip, which is where Annie comes in. Up until this point, Lake Placid had been a favorite spot for these two, and Annie was not about to let this accident change that for the two of them. She booked this trip in the hopes of creating new and happy memories there, and to hopefully give Des a chance to have closure and heal from the physical and emotional trauma of her accident. Side note, Annie is one of the most supportive spouses I have ever met. She has a whole blog dedicated to Des that details her accident, how she’s healing, how amazed and proud she is of her wife for the strides she’s been able to take since the accident, and how the public can help whether it be through team walks, donations to medical expenses, or just awareness of brain injuries. It’s absolutely incredible and I found myself pulled in immediately by her writing. You can check it out at: www.caringbridge.org
We started the session on the Whiteface gondola which was so much fun! I had never been on it before so it was such a treat getting that gorgeous view of the Adirondacks. When we reached the top, we took in the views, walked around the area a bit, laughed a ton, and captured some gorgeous portraits. The accident caused some major damage to Des’s legs, but that didn’t stop her one bit, and the fact that she’s stubborn definitely helps! She was bound and determined to enjoy the views but knew her limits and took breaks when needed. Her determination along with Annie’s support makes me know without a doubt she will make a full recovery probably much sooner than expected. After our Whiteface adventures, we headed back down to Main Street in the heart of Lake Placid and took some portraits down by the water which just so happened to be right outside of the cute Airbnb they rented for the trip. I was genuinely sad when our time was over because I felt like I had just made two new good friends.
Annie and Des, thank you so much for taking me along with you while you created new memories in one of your favorite spots. It was the perfect day and I can’t wait to share some of my favorites with you!
