A Tribute to Ché Lyn Zerphey

On the 28th of April, 2014 one of my oldest friends Ché Lyn Zerphey passed away in her sleep peacefully. I've known her since I was 6 and spent an awesome chunk of my childhood rivalling against others with her, sleepovers, tennis camps and games of 44 home in the dark.

Her competitive nature (including my favourite memory of her when we were playing 44 home with our brothers at night and she literally ran off a 1.5 metre stone wall to avoid getting tagged and annihilated herself on the loose stone beneath) I believe was the absolute reason for her incredible fight with such a horrible disease. I have never seen a human with so much grace and peace under such circumstances where if I were in have no idea how I would even get through the days.

I feel so incredibly blessed that I was able to share some of the best memories with this beautiful soul in her short life. I remember her telling me it was all okay and that these were the cards she was dealt and that's the way it is. That she was at peace and didn't want sympathy and spoke of the absolute pure love she had for her husband Ryan and her family.

I still find it hard to come to terms with just how much of an incredible person she was. She has taught me the true appreciation of life.

Ché suffered from CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). It's a chronic systematic disease characterised by severe pain, swelling and changes in the skin. It has the capability of spreading throughout the body. I tell people about it because nobody knows enough. Ché even told me herself that there won't ever be a cure until a person with a profile big enough makes it known… but maybe through small people telling each other one by one some kind of difference can be made. I urge you to read more and educate yourself on this- despite people recovering, some don't. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy/detail_reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy.htm


I had the honour of photographing Ché and Ryan soon after their engagement and it remains one of my favourite shoots I've done. I've decided to share the whole series here as a tribute to my beautiful friend who taught me just how precious life is. I hope this warms your heart as much as she warmed mine.

Ché Lyn Baldwin November 25, 1992 - April 28, 2014