[monkeyleader]

Photographer Renee C. Byer won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for 2007 for a series of photographs that she ran in the Sacramento Bee chronicling Cyndie and Derek Madsen. Cyndie is a single mother of five and the photographs tell the story of the loss of her 10 year old son Derek to cancer.

Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, along with the set of 20 that won the award.

Warning - these photos are extremly moving and indeed raw but do capture the powerful nature of photography. I'm not ashamed to say that these had me in bits while going through them.

[pixelpixel]

wow nice find and I can see why they won. Very moving images.

[Steve N]

I've sat here wondering what I can say.
There just aren't the words
I stopped viewing part way through the first batch. Knowing the outcome made it almost unbearable for me.
I still can't find the words.
The pictures somehow bring home the desperate reality of the situation.
I wanted to put something if only to acknowledge the post.
This will be one of those things that will stay with me for a long time.

[bodoman]

Phew, they were so powerful images i made myself look at them to the end, even though i was choked up and in tears half way through, i had to wait a while to compose myself before posting.

But death is part of life, however tragic it is and we sometimes dont like to be reminded of it.

But we should occasionally remind ourselves of whats important in life and these photos put it all in perspective and we should all feel extremely grateful to be able to live a relatively nice life and most of the things that upset or annoy or us are not important at all.

Also these photos show how powerful a photograph can and should be, the impact would not have been anyway as great on a moving film.

[Gadget Daddy]

jeez that is powerful, im sat here tears streaming down my face

i thank my lucky stars i have 3 healthy children

Pete

[ginger113]

Yep, all the sentiments above and more. The emotional impact of the situation and the photographs will definitely hang around, I just hope that family, Cyndie in particular, are managing to use the strength during the ordeal to pull them through their life after Derek.

Amazing photos, interesting how it wasn't always those that I would most expect to affect me emotionally that actually caused the tears.

[hot-fuzz]

I dont want to say that those pictures were great when all i can feel is sorrow for all concerned.
Unbelievable images that im not sure how they make me feel. i have a beautiful boy at home and if anything close to that ever happened to him i would be in pieces.

Incredible photos that really make you step out of yourself and take at look at what you have.

[garysherpa]

im deeply moved by these fotos i was in bits but a fantastic story in fotos what a brave and strong woman cyndie is,

[Radiohead]

I posed about this the other night on a different forum and had the same reaction. I was in tears during and afterwards.

[skytecbvmo]

put simple and to choked to say more moved

[Steven]

Yeah I share the sentiments of the posters above. I cried... very moving photographs and story

[indianwells]

A picture does indeed say more than a thousand words so i'll say no more, other than it's a long time since i've cried like that.

[p0kerm0n2004]

Very moving......R.I.P. Derek.

[gpa]

Wow what powerful images.

I have to say that made me cry, not sure why other than sat here looking at my 5 year old son playing peacefully in the background. Like most people I have suffered the loss of all grandparents and my parents in the space of 5 years and have a sister who is on her very last few months of life with MS, as an adult you seems to find strength and get thru.

Somehow pictures of children and the strength the parents and courage children show thru times of heart ache just hit me.

That's all I really have to say.

[zAndy1]

I'll never take my kids for granted again after that, blimey. Cried like a baby and there's no wonder, unbelievably moving images. RIP Derek

[horribleman]

[Liquid101]

It's one of those things that makes you wish you'd never started viewing, but glad you have.

Very moving images - a window into a very private place.

[CooperUK]

Incredibly moving - not ashamed to say tears are rolling down my face right now.

Amazing love from a mother for her son.

i had got a huge hug from both my mum and dad and my teddies after they been through these very moving

Thanks ....

All at Burrell towers~~~

[ScriptDaddy]

R.i.p.

[SweetGirl]

lost for words...feeling very sad and tearful ............................

[doopydug]

I don't have the guts to finish looking at them all - will resume tomorrow.

Heart breaking stuff and that wee boy looks just like my oldest - really hits you where you don't expect it!

It's not right - it's not fair but it's life

[andyandy]

I do not have the words to describe how emotional these photos are.

Simply moving on a deep personal level.

R.I.P

[h4rri]

Very powerful and moving images and story. My thoughts are with everyone involved.

[paulc1]

Amazing, powerful and extremely sad, but very thought provoking.

[beachy]

really powerful images there that tell such a heart wrencing sad story, it certainly puts my own life into perspective, when sometimes all i have to worry about is how much money i have to save for my next lens, well i guess thats slightly exaggerated but i think you know what i mean, we just don't realize how good life is sometimes.

Gosh--from everyone's response, I'm almost afraid to look. Better wait till I'm not at work. Not sure it's possible to appreciate my daughter any more than I already do...

[electrolyte]

I am struggling to think of something deep and meaningful here as all I have is tears running down my cheeks. What an amazing set of photos. RIP Derek.

[ush flynn]

blimey, amazing documentary photography. The 20 shown on the last link are stunning and i really felt for Dereks mother. I think as soon as i saw the photo of her on the floor crying while just about holding onto Dereks hand while he slept was the one that got to me the most. She seemed a very strong woman to be by his side the whole time. A true model of a mother who should be commended