Gaztubeman (Creativegaz)
Life Face
lumenira.com/image/c8015425-c465-4000-893f-3478db86ec46
A single candid photograph from a dive trip, taken some 17 years ago, is my portrait of my very good friend Nigel before the map of his life became etched so deeply into his face. In it, perhaps, is a glimpse of the man he once was—before the relentless toll of work, family, and personal demons aged him prematurely. For 12 years we had the best times and shared the worst. Nigel’s life was defined by the immense pressures he shouldered, both professionally and personally. As an electrical contractor, he was a workaholic who worried endlessly about his company, relying on 60 cigarettes and 20 cups of tea a day as his primary coping mechanisms. The weight of family struggles. His family life was a series of heartbreaks. He was estranged from an older daughter from his first marriage, who had been turned against him due to his past alcoholism. A traumatic incident involved his son, who, at 18, threatened him—a betrayal of trust that took years to mend. Further compounding his worries, his 17-year-old daughter fell pregnant by a much older, married man. Despite his disapproval, Nigel supported her, but the situation added to his existing burden. A relapse and a tragic end. When I first knew him, Nigel had been a reformed alcoholic, but the constant weight of his responsibilities eventually broke his resolve. As he neared 60, he started drinking heavily again, and his life began to unravel. His business faltered, his hobbies ceased, and his health suffered dramatically. Tragically, all the pressures he had endured culminated in a fatal heart attack 10 years ago just two days before his 60th birthday. The candid picture from years ago now serves as a testament to the face he put on, hiding the roadmap of a difficult life that ultimately led to his early death. I miss him.
Life Face
lumenira.com/image/c8015425-c465-4000-893f-3478db86ec46
A single candid photograph from a dive trip, taken some 17 years ago, is my portrait of my very good friend Nigel before the map of his life became etched so deeply into his face. In it, perhaps, is a glimpse of the man he once was—before the relentless toll of work, family, and personal demons aged him prematurely. For 12 years we had the best times and shared the worst. Nigel’s life was defined by the immense pressures he shouldered, both professionally and personally. As an electrical contractor, he was a workaholic who worried endlessly about his company, relying on 60 cigarettes and 20 cups of tea a day as his primary coping mechanisms. The weight of family struggles. His family life was a series of heartbreaks. He was estranged from an older daughter from his first marriage, who had been turned against him due to his past alcoholism. A traumatic incident involved his son, who, at 18, threatened him—a betrayal of trust that took years to mend. Further compounding his worries, his 17-year-old daughter fell pregnant by a much older, married man. Despite his disapproval, Nigel supported her, but the situation added to his existing burden. A relapse and a tragic end. When I first knew him, Nigel had been a reformed alcoholic, but the constant weight of his responsibilities eventually broke his resolve. As he neared 60, he started drinking heavily again, and his life began to unravel. His business faltered, his hobbies ceased, and his health suffered dramatically. Tragically, all the pressures he had endured culminated in a fatal heart attack 10 years ago just two days before his 60th birthday. The candid picture from years ago now serves as a testament to the face he put on, hiding the roadmap of a difficult life that ultimately led to his early death. I miss him.