A Soldier Returns

Last Sunday was my first experience photographing a soldier's body being returned to his family. Army Spc. Tony Jerold Gonzales, 20, was killed in Iraq Dec. 28, just two weeks before he was to go on leave for a holiday break with his family in Newman, Calif. The Gonzales family, including his three older sisters, mother, father and girlfriend, and friends gathered at the Modesto Airport to receive his casket and honor his life with a traditional military funeral. The family was wonderful to interact with and very nice to give me full access during such a difficult time. "T.J." was obviously loved very much by those around him. Photos by Alison Yin