Chloe awaits the arrival of Cpl. Ward Van Alstine in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011. Van Alstine befriended the stray dog in August while serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and adopted him through a program called Nowzad Dogs charity. (Photo by Joe Gosen / Special to the Chronicle)
Cpl. Ward Van Alstine is reunited with his dog, Chloe, in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011.
On November 23 I was inching along the freeway in pre-holiday traffic when my cell phone rang.
It was an assignment editor from the San Francisco Chronicle asking if I would be available to shoot an assignment on Thanksgiving.
I had to think about it a minute.
I already had plans for the day with my family and friends. Did I really want to work on a holiday?
“The story is about a marine who befriended a stray dog while on a tour of duty in Afghanistan,” the editor said. “He managed to adopt it through an organization and have it flown back to the U.S. They’re going to reunite on Thanksgiving day in Santa Barbara.”
I didn’t have to think a second longer.
“Yes, I’ll do that story!”
Have a look at the touching story that ran in the San Francisco Chronicle’s website – SF Gate. Four of my pictures ran in a gallery with the story.