I'd like to share my story of why I developed Image Security...Some time ago, my housemate Julie asked me if I could do her a favor and spend the weekend out of our newly rented house so that she could prepare a special candlelit dinner for her boyfriend on their anniversary. I packed my overnight gym bag, headed out and wished her success.

Sunday morning when I arrived home, nothing short of horror was what lay before me.  The front of the house was standing, but it looked like the facade of a vacant movie set. All was charred behind that front wall. I could not breathe. All I could think of was my family photos, my mother who passed away when I was young-can I find the black and white faded photo of her holding me on her knee on our stoop? She did not smile much, but this was the one of her smiling at me when I was three years old.

Julie was hysterically crying and apologizing to me saying it was an accident-that they fell asleep in the next room without blowing out the wall sconce candles which were hung on the paneled wall.  It happened very quickly. They got out of the fire and were grateful just to be alive.

I could not cry. I went into action mode. I spotted one of my Aunt Mary’s silver fork and spoon in the piles of rummage and started sorting through the burnt ashes of the stuff that was once my life.  I found the photography portfolio of my work that was sealed together like a ham and brie panini from the intense heat which gave an indication of the condition of the priceless photos and negatives inside.  I looked at my hands and feet covered with black soot thinking this could not be happening to me.  What did I do wrong? In this state of twilight zone I closed my eyes, but could not envision or remember what belongings I actually had in these rooms. Miraculously, I did find the sapphire gold birthstone ring my family gave me for sweet sixteen.

The clothes that were recovered after dry cleaning I really did not wear, as that never forget smell of dry cleaning fluid and fire did not suit me. So there I was with my gym bag and a ring to start a life anew.

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