In the vast expanse of human emotion and experience, few mediums capture the essence of life, death, and memory quite like photography. At RootsTech 2024, sponsored by Pictureline, world-renowned photographer Nancy Borowick shared her deeply personal journey. Known for her ability to capture moments of raw emotion and untold stories, Nancy's talk was a voyage into the heart of what it means to live, love, remember, and eternalize.
Who Is Nancy Borowick?
Nancy Borowick is an accomplished woman in many areas—a photographer, author, teacher, speaker, and more. Since graduating from the International Center of Photography, her personal work has been displayed in more than 100 cities worldwide. She's a world-renowned Sony Artisan photographer with a gift for telling intimate, personal stories of people around the world. This ability has won her many renowned accolades, including Pictures of the Year International and the 2018 Humanitarian Award from Women That Soar.
In addition, Nancy's work has been featured in various notable publications and outlets such as National Geographic, Time Magazine, Bloomberg, The New York Times Magazine, Le Monde, and The Wall Street Journal. She travels the world, speaking to more than 50 audiences per year, sharing her personal story alongside her professional work with universities, hospitals, oncology units, and community groups everywhere.
You may wonder what draws Nancy to medical venues for inspirational speaking. Well, back in 2012, Nancy received news that changed her world as she knew it. Her father was diagnosed with cancer, alongside her mother, who was battling a cancer of her own.
This devastating, life-altering news sent Nancy into a state of determination to document all the time she had left with her sweet parents. This was a more personal and vulnerable “job” for her as a photojournalist, and one that impacted Nancy, and viewers around the world, in a very deep way. Nancy’s work is human, real, authentic, and powerful, and those that have viewed her parents' journey with her have felt as much.
Nancy Borowick's Speech at RootsTech
At RootsTech 2024, Nancy, sponsored by Pictureline, shared her profound personal journey through grief, love, and remembrance in a beautiful manner. Her narrative began with a striking image: herself, 9 months pregnant, addressing a conference of funeral directors in Manhattan. “I was the literal embodiment of life talking to these undertakers about the gifts that cancer and death gave my family.” This contrast of life against death embodied her exploration of the gifts that the darkest moments can bestow upon us.
Her story continued to unfold as she delved further into her family's battle with cancer. In 2012, both her parents were undergoing treatment—her mother for metastatic breast cancer and her father for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Nancy chose her camera as a tool to cope, to hold onto her parents "as much as I could, as long as I could." But the narrative she captured was not about dying; it was about living, about the survival and resilience of the human spirit even in the face of mortality.
Capturing Life Amidst Death
Her parents, with their big hair and puffy sleeves, danced into each other's lives in the year 1979. They continued this dance for 34 years before cancer shadowed their steps. Yet, even in the darkest times, Nancy chose to see light. "I couldn't heal my parents. So, I did what I knew how to do. I photographed them."
These photographs became windows to their souls, capturing laughter, love, resilience, and even the heartache of saying goodbye. She showcased their essence beyond the disease that afflicted them.
Her work eventually caught the attention of The New York Times, leading to a wider recognition of her family's story. Beyond this public acknowledgment, Nancy found a connection with others going through similar experiences that became a source of solace and strength. Nancy described how sharing her story helped to alleviate the isolation that often accompanies grief.
A Legacy of Love
Reflecting on the legacy of her parents, Nancy emphasized that family, in whatever form it takes, is everlasting. "Remembering is everything, family is everything . . . That is everlasting." While the universe promises no guarantees, the love and memories created with loved ones are a true legacy.
After her parents' deaths, Nancy continued to learn from their teachings. As Nancy faced the challenge of sorting through her parents' belongings, a cherished piece of advice from her mother became a guiding light: "The people you love—they live on inside of you because they are already a part of the person that you are.” Nancy continued, “I am my mother's daughter, and I get to keep that forever." This insight helped Nancy navigate her grief and build up her resilience.
The Power of Remembering
Nancy Borowick's story is a reminder that remembering and sharing the stories of loved ones fosters the strength to navigate life, to embrace every moment, and to carry the legacy of those who have shaped us. It is also a call to find beauty and strength in the face of adversity. As she beautifully encapsulated through the lens of her camera and the depth of her words, remembering is everything.
Nancy's concluding words from her father serve as a powerful reminder of the essence of her message: "Remember what we Borowicks already know: the Universe never promised any of us longevity . . . . Look for me in every sunset."
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