Elizabeth Schweinefuss

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPH:

“I chose a picture of my eight-year-old son Jeremiah. Jeremiah came along at a very pivotal time in my life. I had just I found out I was pregnant when I was still in treatment for substance abuse. And I was very scared. When I made the decision to have Jeremiah, I knew that I needed to complete treatment, and I did that. I had Jeremiah, and I saw his little face. And I realized that I wanted to be there for him every single day. And Jeremiah has become my superhero. He's my why. He's taught me how to love. And he's motivated me to strive to be a better person, because I want to show him that the sky's the limit: don't ever let people put barriers up in front of you. You choose what success looks like for you. Don't ever box yourself in, and don't allow others to box you. It was very important for me to show him a different version of me. And he brings a smile to my face every day, even when I'm feeling defeated, or just caught up in the monotony of life or just uncertain about something that's going on. I know why it's important for me to keep going. I chose Jeremiah.”