Unique family portrait shows children lost at birth
Photo by Brandy Angel Photography
WEST, Texas (KTVU) - Laura McBride and her husband always wanted children, and for more than two decades they tried to conceive. But medical complications repeatedly thwarted their hope to become parents. The Texas couple lost three children at birth, the most recently in 2014.
One day Laura came across a family portrait taken by a photographer that included a superimposed image of a child who had lost a battle with cancer and she got an idea.
“It took my breath away when I saw that, and my husband always longed for a family photo,” McBride told KTVU. She contacted the photographer, Brandy Angel, who agreed to take a very unique family portrait for the McBrides.
The photo shows Laura and Tony walking on a bridge alongside the shadowed images of the three children they lost at birth: Christopher, who would be 22; Tyler, who would be 18; and Kieran who would be about a year old. (The silhouettes don’t accurately reflect those ages, but McBride says it’s the symbolic message that was important to her.)
Laura kept the photo a secret from her husband and presented it to him as a Christmas gift.
“He was so surprised and he loved the photo,” McBride said. She also shared the photo with family and friends on Facebook, and never realized that it would get such a large public response.
“We never had a clue that this photo would take on a life of its own, so to speak, but we’re glad it’s connected us with so many people,” McBride told KTVU.
McBride says the response has been overwhelmingly positive, although she has also received “nasty comments” from people who don’t understand the photo, or her intentions.
The McBrides have stopped trying to conceive, but have custody of their nephews, ages 18 and 11, and are raising them as their own children. Laura McBride says she realizes the photo may not be for everyone, but it has a special meaning to her and her husband.
“We both love the photo. It’s a constant reminder that we have three beautiful children up there waiting for us.”