He Photographs WWII Veterans For Free As A Way To Say Thank You For Their Sacrifice And Service
A photographer from Alabama named Jeff Rease is on a mission to preserve as many stories as he can of World War Two veterans across the country before it’s too late.
As of 2021, only 240,000 Americans out of the sixteen million that fought in World War Two are still alive today, and those men and women are now either in their late nineties or entering their hundreds.
Jeff took his first portrait of a veteran in 2019, and since that very first veteran, he has been inspired to reach as many as possible.
Currently, he has photographed over 310 veterans in thirty states, as well as those living in Canada and France.
He is passionate about conducting video interviews and providing beautiful and touching portraits free of charge to the heroes of our country.
It’s a great way to pass on their history, and it means so much to the veterans and their families.
Jeff’s own father was a Korean War veteran, and he wishes he had done something similar while his father was still alive.
Now, he wants to give other families the opportunity to learn more about their loved ones’ pasts while they still can.
But since he is an independent photographer funding the WWII Portraits of Honor project himself, expenses from traveling, lodging, and print production are starting to add up.
pavelvozmischev – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
So Jeff has taken to GoFundMe to raise enough money for him to be able to connect with more veterans throughout the U.S.
Any donations will be used specifically for the costs of travel and production. Already, he has earned $21,280 out of his goal of $25,000.
Every day, Jeff receives more and more requests for his services, and only a short while to meet them all, so time is of the essence.
Ever since his first portrait, dozens of veterans he has interviewed have passed away, bringing even more urgency to the project.
“We’ve already lost at least 80 veterans whom I have photographed since I started. One of those passed away just 10 days after I met him. I was so humbled that the portraits I made were prominently displayed at their memorial services by the families,” wrote Jeff.
To help Jeff honor World War Two veterans for their service and sacrifice, donate to his GoFundMe here.
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More About:Human Interest