“What’s the Value of a Gift That Lasts 33 Years?”

Mine came from two doctors I’d never met—through Burger King. Here’s the story.

In 1988, I found myself leaving my grandparents’ home in Abington, Pennsylvania, and moving back to Huntsville, Alabama, to live with my parents again. Just a few years later, in a twist of fate I never could have predicted, a graduation gift from two doctors—owners of a chain of Burger King franchises—would shape the next three decades of my life.

From the time I turned 14 in February of my sophomore year, I worked at a Burger King on 10,000 South Memorial Parkway. The company, owned by Dr. Wessel and Dr. Fambro, had about 20 to 30 Burger Kings across North Alabama and maybe even South Tennessee. When I graduated high school in 1992 and was about to enlist in the Navy, they gave me a graduation gift: a 35mm camera.

That camera came with me to San Diego, and though I couldn’t take it to boot camp, it accompanied me to the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training program. That’s where my photographic journey truly began. Back then, photography was a different beast. You had to choose the right film, the right lens, and you had to wait to see if you’d captured the moment just right.

I realized my love for photography was deeply connected to watching my father, whose name I bear, with his own 35mm camera. I envied it as a kid, and it felt almost like something in my genes to frame a shot and capture a story on film.

When I got to Tallahassee in 1993, one of the first things I did was buy a Minolta 35mm camera from a pawn shop. That camera became my constant companion through college. I didn’t realize how often I carried it until I looked back years later. My teammate, now Dr. Tim Middlekoop, was one of the only people who had a camera on him more often than I did. Together, Tim and I were able to lay a strong foundation for a fantastic slideshow, capturing moments from an era where they were truly precious.

And of course, I have to give a shout-out to my Huntsville High School Crimson Panther classmate Addie Isbell Strozier. When I first started contemplating turning my passion for photography into a profession, Addie was the one I could approach. She gave me a photography masterclass and really helped guide me as I made those first steps into the photography business. Her generosity and expertise were invaluable.

And that’s how Shots by Dubbs Photography was born. That single gift from Dr. Wessel and Dr. Fambro sparked a 33-year photographic journey that’s still going strong. A heartfelt thank you to those two doctors and all the folks involved in making my job at Burger King and my graduation gift possible.  It’s amazing to think about how that one camera led to a lifelong passion and even a business. Every day, I look at the photographs on my walls or the ones I’ve taken for others, and I’m grateful for that enduring gift.

I can’t wait to see what the next 33 years will bring.

Have you ever received a gift that’s impacted your life for decades? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments—tell me what it was and how it shaped your journey!