The year 2020 began with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
In March, 2020, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed Executive Order 2020-243 which, along with Kentucky Senate Bill 150, provided for an emergency reinstatement of a retiree's paramedic license to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic in Kentucky. On April 11 my Kentucky paramedic license was reinstated for two years,
This reinstatement allowed me to work as a paramedic on an ambulance or in a hospital. I enrolled in an antibody study but tested negative, and I also enrolled in the Johnson & Johnson Janssen Covid-19 vaccine study trial through the University of Louisville Hospital. In January of 2021 I was accepted as a volunteer by the Louisville Metro Public Health Department to assist with administering COVID-19 vaccinations at drive-thru clinics.
On October 22 our 13-year old papichon crossed the rainbow bridge. Named Angel by our granddaughters when we first brought her home in 2007 as a small puppy, she was a wonderful and loving member of our family and she will be greatly misssed.
In December, 2020, I began testing the Janssen vaccine and in February I was informed that I had received the placebo. I then received the actual Pfizer vaccine and was one of the first 50,141,769 Americans to be fully vaccinated (15.1% of the U.S. population). This marked an important step in reclaiming our lives and returning to normal after more than 2.6 million people worldwide had been killed by the virus, and lives worldwide had been upended in unimaginable ways.
In September I received my Covid-19 booster shot 5 days after booster shots were first authorized, and became one of the first 400,000 to receive a booster shot.
On May 27, 2021, I found out that I am going to be a great grandfather next year. Excited, and happy!
On November 1, 2021, my first book, The Photographer's Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains, was published. The book groups 71 beautiful and historic locations within and in the vacinity of the park into 6 manageable regions, each requiring about a day to explore, with descriptions, maps, and 195 sets of GPS coordinates to get the reader there. The book also includes chapters describing how the Smoky Mountains were formed and then became a national park, weather and seasons, hiking in the park, what to pack, how to power wilderness photography, and tips for national park photography. 32 of the photographs include GPS coordinates for the camera, time of day and time of year taken, and camera settings so that the reader can see exactly how we set up our camera to capture that flowing waterfall or dramatic sunset.
On December 31, 2021, I allowed my Kentucky Paramedic license to expire for a second time and return to retirement. In the end I worked in public safety for a total of 52 years, including 44 years as a paramedic, 20 years in Helicopter Emergency Medical Services, and 16 years in the fire service.
In January, 2022, I became a great-grandfather when Greyson Mikel was born to Cassi and Shaun.
In late spring and early summer of 2022 I attended my 50th high school reunion in upstate New York and then traveled to Maine, visiting Acadia National Park and then Portland visiting area lighthouses.
While I was in New England I spent one day climbing, by myself, from Pinkham Notch in Gorham, New Hampshire, along the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the summit of Mount Washington (and then back down again). This was a 7.4 mile out-and-back hike that took almost nine hours to complete.
Mount Washington is the highest point in New England and the highest peak in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is often called the most dangerous small mountain in the world and conditions on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail can quickly turn dangerous as a result of bad weather in the form of severe storms, snow and wind.
The highest natural surface wind velocity ever officially recorded by means of an anemometer, anywhere in the world, was recorded on the summit of Mount Washington at 231 mph on April 12, 1934. Three days before my hike three hikers had to be rescued from this area, and one 41-year old man unfortunately died from hypothermia. My hike up to the 6,288-foot summit was fortunately uneventful and there were some spectacular views along with some snow, but it was challenging. I carried camera equipment, first aid and some survival equipment, snacks and extra clothing (including my winter coat).
I had first hiked this trail in my teens and I have hiked it multiple times over the years, but I did feel a strong sense of accomplishment completing this hike by myself at age 69.
I entered five photographs into the 2022 Kentucky State Fair and four of those photographs passed the preliminary judging process and were selected be displayed at the fair and eligible for awards. One of those photographs was awarded the blue First Place ribbon in the Fine Arts Accomplished Photographer Division, Nature/Scenic Class, and was also awarded with the Best Color Photograph rosette for the 2022 Kentucky State Fair.
It's always nice to arrive at the state fair and walk up to the display end cap and see one of your photos hanging there (with two ribbons hanging from it).
In December, 2022, I created 52Frames | Kentuckiana and serve as a co-administrator.
After over 20 years, for 7,542 days, my divorce was finalized on January 24, 2023.
In February of 2023 I began teaching photography once a week at Louisville's Bellarnine University in their Veritas Society.
In September, 2023, at the conclution of the Kentucky EMS Conference, I tested positive for Covid-19.
On September 19, 2023, my second great grandson Mason Joseph Scott was born by C-Section, weighing in at 8 pounds 10 ounces and 19-½ inches long. Mother and new baby did fine through the procedure and we are so looking forward to meeting him soon.
In October I began teaching a Beginning Digital Photography class at Louisville's Bellarmine University in their Veritas Society.
I now have two photography classes that I teach in person on their Louisville campus: Beginning Digital Photography in the fall term and Basic Photo Editing in the spring term. The fist class is designed to teach the student how to take better photographs, and the second class is designed to teach the student how to make their photographs look their best.
I was honored to be asked to design the Kentucky EMS Memorial license plate. This specialty vehicle license plate was an initiative of the Kentucky EMS Memorial Foundation and a portion of the yearly registration fee for this specialty plate will go to the Foundation in support of the future Kentucky EMS Memorial. The plate was approved by the Kentucky Transportation Committee on Sept. 21, 2023, and hopefully will become available before the end of the year.
Obtaining a specialty vehicle license plate for EMS has been a project we started in the early 2000s, and being able to use that plate to fund such a worthwhile project really makes it all worthwhile.
In October 2023 I was accepted for membership in the Louisville Photographic Society.
“Ordinary Angels,” inspired by the true story of a hairdresser who single-handedly rallies an entire community to help a widowed father save the life of his critically ill young daughter and starring Hillary Swank, Alan Ritchson and Emily Mitchell, was released in movie theaters in February 2024. The 3-year-old girl — Michelle — now needs a liver transplant and a new liver becomes available but the family needs to get to Omaha, Nebraska during a narrow window — 700 miles away during the famous Kentucky Blizzard of 1994, the worst in state history, when 16 inches of snow on top of a few inches of ice shut down the state’s Interstate Highway system and paralyzed all travel for nearly a week. Our Jewish Hospital SKYCARE’s medical helicopter was asked to fly the patient to Louisville’s airport but the helicopter couldn’t land in the deep snow because the rotor blades would blow that snow up and eliminate all visibility with white out conditions. The community came together bringing their snow shovels to a local mega-church to clear a large landing area in the parking lot so that our helicopter and medical flight crew could complete the mission. The movie ended with 30-year-old television news footage of our beloved Dauphin medical helicopter landing in that church parking lot.