Bronze
 

Institution: Emory University

Title of entry: Man on Fire

About this entry: The story of Jalen Richardson in and of itself is unbelievable.

Richardson, a young Georgia Army National Guardsman, survived a fiery motorcycle crash and recovered with the help of an Emory surgeon and experts from the Grady Memorial Burn Center. Although this was a horrific accident, the overarching theme of the feature story was his triumph. The design of the feature article had to convey both the gravity of Mr. Richardson’s injuries and the beauty of his humanity.

The editorial design of the feature article is meant to portray the long arc of Richardson’s recovery, from the trauma of his arrival at the safety net hospital, his transfer to the burn unit, and the comprehensiveness of his care at the burn center; from a doctor who took a personal interest in his case (whom Richardson called “Mama Hodge”) to the integral role that therapy dogs played in his recovery. Although his injuries were horrific, the story is hopeful and joyous, and Richardson’s indomitable spirit shines throughout.

When Richardson receives soldier of the year in his aviation troop, it is a journey the reader has made with him. Through medical illustrations, body burn graphics, selfies, photos from the accident scene and of the first responders, and Richardson after his recovery as soldier of the year and running with his dog in a park, to detail shots of his inspiration bracelets, even 10 pages felt too small for such an epic saga.