How it All Began!

 I've had requests for more on a couple things that I have posted.... one was my daughter as a model and the other one was more about my Paris adventures. 

So, here goes.

As soon as Susan got to be a teenager, she started talking about wanting to be a model. Here we were living out in the country on a farm in north/central Alabama. Where did she get that notion? But, she was sure that is what she wanted to do. 

Her first model card

By the time she graduated from high school we had found a model agency in Birmingham, 40 miles from us and so we went over to see if she might stand a chance at being a model. They signed her and soon she was doing newspaper ads for a big department store there, some magazine work etc.

Newspaper Ad

Alabama Monthly magazine

a store catalog

 Eventually she started getting work in Atlanta. 

John Casablancas Model Agency in New York send a representive down to check out the girls in Bham and Susan along with 4, I think it was, other girls were chosen to fly to New York for try outs. We were so thrilled. 

                    The girls in their New York hotel room

When the girls flew out of Bham, a crew from the local tv station went with them, filming their adventure. They were featured on the local 'news magazine' program. 

At the airport

Susan and one other girl was signed with John Casablancas and then they came home. Susan was to go back to New York to start her career as soon as Christmas was over. 

But.............

We attended a wedding on Dec. 23rd. Susan and her best friend wanted to go to the mall instead of doing the reception so Elbert and I said yes. That's just what teenagers do. 

A short time later a man in jeans and corduroy jacket walks into the reception hall and calls out, 'is there a Mr. and Mrs. Barton here?'

Down the road our daughter sat in her car, blood everywhere.

Her car before it was hit.

 A drunk driver had hit her. Her head had crashed through the windshield. This was in the early 1980s so things were different then like seat belts etc. Glass shards were embedded in her scalp and forehead, a cut above one eye and a broken ankle. It could have been worse! 

with Mom in the hospital... it was Christmas Day

Months followed with surgeries, daily trips to the gym to build up strength in her leg, scarring to deal with on her face. Would she ever fulfill her dream? Her Dad and I didn't think so but that girl never gave up.

I had given her a music box that played 'New York, New York' and for months it had remained silent. finally one day I heard that music coming from her bedroom. I knew that she had faith in herself. Dad and I had to get onboard as well. 

Continued in next post.