I adopted a new role on an assignment yesterday.
Mike Averill and I showed up to Camp Fire's Camp Waluhili in Chouteau, Okla. to do a story about Camp Fire's inclusion program, which allows children with autism and other minor disabilities to experience camp like other boys and girls their age.
This year was Kelsey Charlton's second year at the camp. She has autism and is able to attend the camp because of the inclusion grant that Camp Fire received.
Last year Kelsey promised that she would conquer her fear of heights and rappel down a cliffside for the first time.
I met Kelsey before she started to gear up to go down the cliffside. Before she could remember my name, she referred to me as "news guy," which I rather liked.
When the time came for her to make her way down the cliff, it took quite a bit to get her to the edge.
For several minutes, counselors tried to talk her to the edge, which was a pretty scary thing to do for someone who is scared of heights.
I went to the edge to shoot back at her looking towards me. When I got in position, she started to say, "Hey, there's Garett!"
Camp counselors started to tell her, "Look, Garett made it to the edge. Just walk to Garett. Go see Garett."
What I had done was accidentally put myself in the role of a counselor, and even began talking her to where I was.
Usually as a photojournalist, you try to document what happens and do as little to affect the outcome of your story as possible, but I guess sometimes on the rare occasion, you end up playing a part in the story.
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Kelsey Charlton, 15, talks with Jordan Bailey, Susan Burge, and Susan Bencke before rappelling down a cliffside at Camp Fire's Camp Waluhili in Chouteau, Okla., Tuesday, July 16, 2013. GARETT FISBECK/The Tulsa World
Kelsey Charlton, 15, inches her way down a cliffside with the help of Susan Burge and Jordan Bailey at Camp Fire's Camp Waluhili in Chouteau, Okla., Tuesday, July 16, 2013. GARETT FISBECK/The Tulsa World
