I met Guerrero Papatzul (“Guerrero” being his nickname, meaning “Warrior” in Spanish) his mom and his grandma hardly 2 weeks ago at the Arnold Arboretum. This little guy is, without a doubt, one of the bravest and strongest I ever had the privilege to photograph!

As a common two-year-old, the last thing he had in mind was, of course, to listen to my instructions. So, I began to sing, chase him, make silly faces and anything I could to make him smile. Nothing out of the ordinary for a toddler session late in the afternoon.

Light and weather were on our side. As a result, we spent a beautiful afternoon between laughs, clicks and delicious animal crackers. It was not until the end of our session that I found out the admirable story of hope, faith and determination behind this amazing family. Barely a few weeks after Guerrero Papatzul was born, a terrible diagnosis was shared to his parents and darkened all the baby joy: Biliary Atresia. Biliary atresia is a rare liver disease in which the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the intestine are blocked. He was in desperate need of a liver transplant and six months later, he finally was accepted in the Boston Children’s Hospital transplant list. They traveled to Massachusetts, leaving their beloved Mexico behind with no hesitation.  They began a long and difficult journey.

Two years later, I enjoyed the pleasure of photographing an adorable, sweet little boy playing happily with a teddy bear. If you want to find out more about Guerrero Papatzul’s journey, you can visit his facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/guerreropapatzulwarrior/

Truly an inspiring story of faith, courage and hope. Thank you, Maria for a beautiful session and for choosing me to be your family portrait photographer. Capturing you and Guerrero Paptzul was such a pleasure! I hope you loved the experience as much as I did and that you will treasure these images forever.  I look forward to capturing more images of this amazing little warrior as he grows and find new paths to explore.

Enjoy your images! ♥️

about helena goessens photography

Helena Goessens is a newborn, baby, children and family photographer based in Dedham, MA. She loves to work with families and little ones in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Her style is simple and natural and she specializes in capturing those special moments to savor a lifetime. Helena Goessens offers sessions in the comfort of clients homes, outdoors and on location for those special occasions.  If you are looking for a portrait photographer for your next family session, contact her at    info@helenagoessens.com    or call her at    617-584-9891.  For more of her work, visit her website at helenagoessens.com.