Looking out for Nicholas

These photographs are from a last minute story I shot of a local family who have come together to help raise their nephew who has Down syndrome. I had literally about 24 hours to get this story shot while holding down the photo department as the sole photographer while my fellow staffers were absent either on vacation or injured. Things were kind of rushed to say the least. But considering the time constraints, I was pleased with the results. The power of family never ceases to amaze me. You can read the captions under each photograph.


Mary Eble, left, and her sister Martha, right, play with their nephew Nicholas Eble by encouraging him to box. "We try to introduce him to new activities and keep him moving," said Mary Eble. Nicholas requires a constantly present caregiver and that role is divided between his two aunts and his father.


Mary Eble struggles to convince her nephew Nicholas that changed plans for the evening mean that he must accompany his aunts to their boxing class instead of watching movies at home. "Routine is so important to him because their is so much in his life that he can't control," said Mary Eble, "It is a big comfort to him and when things don't go to plan, often times we have to work to find a compromise."


Nicholas Eble, 31, plays his Ghostbusters video game at his home in Fairfield. "Nicholas is in many ways pretty independant," says his aunt Mary Eble, "His ability to entertain himself allows us opportunities to get other stuff done around the house."


Meals on Wheels employee Gerald Madueno, left, accompanies Nicholas Eble as he delivers a meal to a Suisun City resident. "We want Nicholas to be intergrated like everyone else," says his aunt Mary Eble, "Since being laid off from his previous job, Nicholas has been volunteering for the non profit once a week."


Nicholas Eble works on his fist jab with with Jesse Lopez Jr., owner of J L Tepito Boxing Club Thursday evening during his aunts boxing class. Trying to keep Nicholas active can often be a challenge for his family and their work schedules so they push him to try activities they are involved in like boxing.


Excited over the news that he will spend Friday evening at his father's house, Nicholas Eble, 31, gives his father Nick a hug before accompanying his aunts to their boxing class.