Nancy

As soon as we saw this descanso on a bridge my wife looks at me and says, “that looks dangerous.” I didn’t disagree, but we both knew I was going to stop and take the photo. She gave me a look and reminded me that if I get run over that she will be pissed, and off I walked, camera in hand in the rain, down the side of Oregon Highway 101.

It turns out this particular stretch of road is pretty dangerous. In 2022 when Nancy Vickstrom was killed in a head on collision, five other people had died in accidents at or nearby in the previous year, including three men from Otis, Oregon whose descanso I had just photographed.

Nancy was seventy four when she was killed by Kendra Lee Percca in what was likely an accident. I say that because there is no mention of drugs or alcohol, speeding, or lack of seat belt usage.

The slough behind Nancy’s memorial was tranquil, despite cars whizzing by at what always feels like breakneck speed when you’re standing five feet away, squatting down trying to take a photo.