Last February my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. It’s crazy to think they’ve been together longer than apart, essentially growing up together (literally around the corner from one another). They met at a high school dance. My Dad says it was love at first sight. They’ve been through it all together. Tragically loosing my Grandmother when my Mom was 18 to a drunk driver, my uncle’s struggle with mental illness, putting themselves through college, buying a house, waiting 10 years to finally start having children. Welcoming my sister and I, starting a business together, the list goes on and on.

Through adolescence, adulthood, and now parenthood my parents have fundatmentally instilled so many important values into our lives. What comes to mind is putting family first (always), acceptance, hard work, dedication, and unconditional love. To celebrate their milestone anniversary in true Gram & Bumpa fashion they decided to forgo a huge anniversary party and just celebrate with our close immediate family. My sister and I labored over what to give them that would be appropriate for such a special occasion. What do you get someone that really doesn’t need anything but has selflessly given you so much?

We landed on the idea of soliciting someone to create a story of each of their lives. Essentially interviewing both our parents (together and separately) telling the story of their lives, their legacy, in their words. A video momentum that we could treasure for the rest of our lives, along with our children and their children. It’s something I regret we didn’t do with Jim’s Mom before she passed.

My paternal grandparents Betty & Basil Root

When my Grandma passed 6 months after the Twins were born my Dad worked around the clock for 4 days/nights straight to create the most beautiful photo montage of her entire life. But how do you accurately portray a persons entire being when they’ve gone onto the after life (sometimes unexpectactly) and feel like you are adequately doing justice to their essence, to their entire life’s legacy?

My maternal grandparents William & Ruth Hatker

When I started researching such a person to help tell their story on Facebook a friend put me in touch with Laura. Laura Mantel is an expert storyteller with over 10 years of experience creating content for television, events and digital platforms across multiple genres. She is an award winning producer for the Oprah Winfrey Show and if it’s good enough for Oprah it’s good enough for me.

Laura, Hello Lo Video, created the most amazing videos interviewing both of my parents commemorating their lives. Out of respect for their privacy I won’t share but I did want to pass along Laura’s information should you be looking to create a special love letter video. Whether it be for a video to your children, for your parents, the story of a life, a special engagement video, Laura does it all.

Laura provides quotes on a custom basis based on project. You can reach out to her at hellolovideo(@)gmail.com

If you mention Doreen Corrigan followers who place an order with her within 30 days of this blog post will receive 20% off any order.

XO,

Dor