the-absolute-best-posts: theressomethingaboutasunrise Riding my bicycle along Hollywood Boulevard today I saw him in the crowd - noticed him instantly. When we reached each other, I said hi and asked if he would mind if I took his photo.  “You want my photo?” Yeah, I said. There’s nobody  like you.  “I know.” And he smiled for me -although his face was evidently destroyed by something- and his mouth reconstructed. I asked him what happened. “Shot,” he said. “Shot in the face.” He motioned a gun at close range being shot directly into his face. And you survived that? I asked. “No,” he said with a smile. “I’m dead.” I apologized for what was a stupid question, but it was hard to fathom - gun shot- close range - into his face. And he lived. So what happened? I asked. Was it an accident, or did  someone mean to shoot you? “I did it myself. Tried to kill myself.” You did “Yeah.” Where? “Arizona.” Phoenix? “Tucson.” So tell me, how did it feel, after you shot yourself in the face - and you came to -and realized you were not dead? “Agony. The worst agony ever.” Man. “Yeah.” What kind of gun? “30-aught-six.” I was thunderstruck. I have met and photographed many people - who are featured in this stream - humans who have overcome amazing adversity. Lydia, who was burnt almost to death. Ray, whose eye was gone. Margaret, who weighed over 500 pounds. But this. Man. And yet he was smiling. I told him what I thought: God gives everyone a different life - and some people get really really hard lives. “That’s me. Doesn’t get much worse.” Told me he’s on the street.  Homeless. I asked him how bad it was that he wanted to die.  “Bad. Really bad. The worse kind.” Are you gonna try again? “No. I tried once. That’s enough.” Man.  Sometimes our lives seem hard - unbearable even - but then we meet Kevin. Or Lydia. Or Ray. And realize again how lucky we are. How hard some humans have it.  Man. And yet he smiled. He smiled for me. This man with his face blown off - by his own hand. And here he is - in the sunshine, listening to music, smiling. I don’t even know what else to say about this. my heart. it just exploded. This is a great blog to follow, seriously
80,776 notes
reblogged from acciomadrid-deactivated20121020
originally posted by chrishire

  1. trill-lill reblogged this from myownsundays
  2. chiloconcarne reblogged this from myownsundays
  3. myownsundays reblogged this from jahradrizzy
  4. chukessssss reblogged this from achungy
  5. lucasdisagrees reblogged this from lolsomeone-actually and added:
    I almost cried.
  6. yewonsong reblogged this from christineyang1020
  7. l0ve---sucks reblogged this from demerss11
  8. hayleejo16 reblogged this from i-kissed-th3-scars-on-her-skin
  9. pandabear131 reblogged this from i-kissed-th3-scars-on-her-skin
  10. i-kissed-th3-scars-on-her-skin reblogged this from ramblingsofateenagedreamer
  11. closed-world-open-wounds reblogged this from wespeak-music
  12. no-bass-no-fun reblogged this from wespeak-music
  13. windmill-s reblogged this from wespeak-music
  14. wespeak-music reblogged this from ramblingsofateenagedreamer
  15. ramblingsofateenagedreamer reblogged this from heronfem
  16. rainb0wdash96 reblogged this from satans-temptress
  17. heronfem reblogged this from insanity-latte-is-people
  18. underappreciated-cliche reblogged this from jeremy-the-pikachu
  19. jeremy-the-pikachu reblogged this from satans-temptress
  20. mittens-romnibus reblogged this from satans-temptress
  21. love-at-first-song reblogged this from satans-temptress
  22. satans-temptress reblogged this from smiletodream
  23. bellasws reblogged this from cuntraceptions
  24. bryna4ntonia reblogged this from dontbringmedownn
  25. ticklemys0ul reblogged this from mirna-arelie
  26. justrid3 reblogged this from mirna-arelie
  27. darkparaaadise reblogged this from cuntraceptions
  28. dontbringmedownn reblogged this from cuntraceptions
  29. melisitaa reblogged this from mirna-arelie
  30. cuntraceptions reblogged this from mirna-arelie
  31. mirna-arelie reblogged this from if-0-n-l-y and added:
    Favorite post of all time.
  32. shleighbells reblogged this from vaginaaboob
  33. pequenaxchapina reblogged this from ganjagoon
  34. gangarpierre reblogged this from r3dking


Source: Flickr / zollo