Nora Curtwright is 9 years old and asked her mother a question that broke her heart: Who is going to take the photo with me this year?
Since before she was born, in Manila, Arkansas, Nora and her older brother Brady took a photo together on the first day of school each year. Brady died on December 7, 2025, at age 14, two days after another driver crossed into his lane during a medical emergency. The tradition, Nora thought, had gone with him.
Gabe Gonzales, Brady’s best friend since seventh grade, didn’t think twice. He started a group chat and called on his friend’s middle school classmates.
On August 12, Nora headed out for her first day of fourth grade and found Gabe and 11 other friends of her brother waiting for the photo. She carried a portrait of Brady with her, so he wouldn’t be left out either. 🥹