i am fine.

Bayside, Queens; New York - 2012-2013

“I Am Fine" is a series of images from an unfinished document that offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of Max and Hella Vanderpool, Holocaust survivors who met after WWII and rebuilt their lives in Brooklyn. These photographs explore themes of survival, home, trauma, and the enduring presence of love in the shadow of a painful past.

Hella, a woman of few words, often communicated through writing. When I asked if she was okay, she simply wrote: "I am fine." These images also serve as a document of the last year of Hella's life, before her passing in 2014. Through them, Max and Hella showed me the true meaning of love and companionship amidst unimaginable hardship.

From his wheelchair, Max often said he hoped to outlive Hella, knowing that as long as he lived, she would be well cared for and remain at home. He passed three years later.

PT.02 remains unfinished as it has been very distressing from me to revisit.