We all know the magic of photography, and love to be able to snap pics of some of our most happy and memorable moments in life. Isn’t that what cameras are for, to capture forever those most precious memories and have them on our walls or photo albums?
But for one Arizona family, the photo they took of a happy and precious moment, turned out to be not just an important memento, but in fact a terrifying emergency that could have ended in tragedy.
Image by kage fit / Facebook
Let’s take a look at the amazing true story behind this photo full of secrets.
Big Day
It was just a day like any other for this happy family in Auburn, Arizona. Well, actually it was a pretty special day—but one of happiness and excitement, and certainly not anticipating any sort of disaster or danger.
Because for one 13-year-old girl named Brooke, it was her first day of seventh grade, and as you can imagine she was filled with excitement about the day to come.
And of course, her mother was excited too.
Image by ShaneJoy Mills / Facebook
But they had no idea that their excitement was about to turn to panic.
Say Cheese
As you can imagine, it was a big and exciting day for Brooke as she was about to embark on her first day of seventh grade.
And so, it is not that surprising that to capture this beautiful moment forever, her mother decided to take a photo of her before she headed off to begin her new school year.
With a smiling face, Brooke posed for the camera when she was all ready to head off for school.
Image via Kage Fit / Facebook
Little did they know the photo would be the beginning of a terrifying ordeal.
A Family Tradition
We know that many people like to take photos of their children on their first day of school. But this wasn’t Brooke’s first day of school ever. She was simply beginning her first day of seventh grade! So why did her mother want to take a picture of this moment?
The truth was, that it was something of a family tradition to take a new photo every time Brooke began a new school year.
Image via Kage Fit / Facebook
But they had no idea that this photo would end up becoming a source of terror and hitting headlines around the world.
Little by Little
Because of Brooke and her mother’s tradition, they had a beautiful photo from every year documenting Brooke’s first day of school in each grade.
As well as a lovely tradition, it was also a great way to capture Brooke’s growth as a person, as they could compare each photo with the ones from the years before.
Image via ShaneJoy Mills / Facebook
But this photo would end up with far more than just an interesting comparison to previous shots—it would in fact become a life-or-death situation.
New Digs
As Brooke and her parents got ready for their yearly photo, there was more to celebrate this time than just simply the commencement of a new school year.
Because this was also the first time that they were taking the photo in their new house, having just moved to a new area very recently.
Having previously lived in an apartment the middle of the city, they were now in a quiet suburb, with a large front lawn.
Image via ShaneJoy Mills / Facebook
But they had no idea this would end up plunging the photo into a sudden horror.
Setting the Scene
When Brooke and her parents lived in their old place, they had a pretty luxury apartment in the middle of the city. As you can imagine, the pictures they took in that place were generally indoors, in their luscious interior.
But now that they lived in a suburban house with a sprawling front lawn, Brooke decided she wanted to take the photo outdoors in the garden this year.
Illustration. Image by Q K / Pixabay
Once she saw the photo, it would become a decision she would live to regret.
