Dickersons

Last year, I think exactly to the day, we worked on a story about the Dickersons, a family of six who have had to overcome quite a lot over the past couple of years. Last year I met them at their home and it was a blast just being able to hang out and photograph their daily business.

Yesterday, I had an assignment to meet the Dickersons while they were checking out the progress of a new home that is being built for them by students in a local high school building trades class. So, after hanging out with the family, I asked to meet them later at their home and then met Mark at a high school basketball game, he helps coach one of the teams. At a basketball practice back in March is where fellow assistant coach Kevin Dodick, also the building trades teacher, suggested Mark look in to the program to see if his family qualified. Mark's son Matt, 7, was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in 2007 and the family of six was outgrowing their old home and needed a new place to accommodate their needs.

Just to give a little run-down of the things they've experienced and overcome in the last couple of years- Matt was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, his younger brother Caleb, 2, wasn't growing and couldn't breathe properly because his tonsils were swollen and cut off airflow, Mark was diagnosed with skin cancer, on the way back from a trip to a hospital their van was totaled, Mark was recently diagnosed with Bell's Palsy. Despite some of the obstacles, they're all extremely close and wonderful to be around.