Kim Eugene - For love: 25 heartwarming celebrations of humanity

dedicated to ordinary people
who do extraordinary things.
your courageous acts of love
make this world a better place.

Wed like to personally thank the photographers who have generously allowed us to share their personal stories with you. They are the ones behind the lens, crafting each scene like a director, choreographing every last detail. Without them, none of these photos would have been made nor would any of these amazing stories have been shared.

To our familySammy, Annie, Grace, Carol, Keith, and Burt: thank you for believing in us over the years. With your unwavering support, we have been able to make the leap from curating an art blog to writing this book.

To our My Modern Met writersPinar, Katie, Sara, Jenny, and Annathe website would not be filled with these heartwarming stories without the hard work and dedication youve put into our site each and every day.

And finally, to our loyal followers: with your support, all of this has been made possible. We are forever in your debt and, in return, we humbly vow to be your voice.

In a world filled with cynicism and a 24-hour news cycle infiltrated with stories of war, crime, and celebrity gossip, we wanted to tip the balance and shine a spotlight on stories filled with positivity and hope.

Over the past seven years, weve been dedicated to finding the best visual stories for the millions of viewers of our art blog, My Modern Met (www.mymodernmet.com). After sifting through the most popular and touching content, weve compiled this collection of the twenty-five most compelling visual stories that are sure to warm your heart.

The heroes of these stories are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. People who are selfless in their deeds and courageous with their actions.

Take, for example, Bob Carey, who took photographs of himself wearing a pink tutu to bring joy to his wife, who had cancer. The hilarious series showed support for his ailing wife and inspired thousands, if not millions, of people who have cancer or know someone who does, through this loving act.

Or take the story of Miles Scott, also known as Batkid, the young cancer survivor who dressed as Batmans sidekick and saved the city of San Francisco. Thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Batkids clever, creative, and heartwarming story inspired people all over the world.

Then theres Donald and Dorothy Lutz. For their sixty-first wedding anniversary, their daughter-in-law Lauren Wells arranged a present theyd never forget, a heartfelt and memorable photo shoot based on the charming Pixar movie Up. The Lutzs original wedding photographer had stood them up decades before, so after more than sixty years together, the couple finally got the wedding portraits that they deserved.

These remarkable visual stories will introduce you to people who have risen to the occasion and gone well beyond the call of duty in the name of love. Weve had the privilege of writing about these incredible tales, and theyve not only brought a smile to our faces, theyve helped us realize what a selfless act looks like. Warm, thoughtful, and creativethese stories make this world a better place. They rise above the endless clutter, restoring our faith in humanity.

-- Alice Yoo ( eugene Kim
My Modern Met

Cambria Grace

After being married for an incredible sixty-one years, Donald and Dorothy Lutz finally got the wedding photos that theyd always dreamed of. As a special holiday present, event designer Lauren Wells teamed up with photographer Cambria Grace to create some memorable anniversary photos for her beloved grandparents, Nina and Gramps. According to Lauren, the two have never taken their rings off, remain the best of friends, and have just one picture from their wedding day because their photographer stood them up.

Using the classic Pixar movie Up as inspiration, Lauren worked with a team of creatives to make a unique gift. Cambria Grace handled the photography, Caroline ODonnell from Wildfolk Studio was in charge of the flowers, and Becky Bracketts Pop & Circumstance arranged the vintage props.

The photo shoot took place on Bostons Old Northern Avenue Bridge, and everything came together perfectly. Nina cried when she got handed her beautiful bouquet, Lauren says.

On Christmas, Lauren presented the couple with the gift. We surprised them with an album on Christmas morning. It was pretty amazing, Lauren says. Ninas jaw dropped, and she burst into silent tears. She kept saying Oh my gosh! over and over again. Gramps just smiled a huge smile and watched Nina with so much love. As they flipped through the book, every photo caused another heartfelt reaction. It was a really happy, emotional, and sweet scene.