Producer Mason Novack—who discovered writer Diablo Cody and encouraged her to write her first screenplay (Juno)—finally picked up the phone and called Cedar Falls, Iowa. No, he didn’t discover the Diablo Cody/Juno-inspired blog Screenwriting from Iowa and call me. He called a photographer friend of mine Tim Dodd telling him he needed to get an agent.
Tim’s blog post Do you know my friend Taylor Morris? recounted his friendship with Taylor and how the Navy soldier was in Afghanistan when he stepped on an IED on May 3, 2012 and lost his legs, left arm, and right hand in the blast. Tim has been documenting through photography and video Taylor’s recovery over the months, and Taylor’s relationship with his high school sweetheart Danielle Kelly.
Over two months ago I wrote a blog called Taylor Morris & the Home of the Brave featuring Taylor’s story and Tim’s photos. Many others have spread Taylor’s story and Tim’s photos until last week went the story went viral after BuzzFeed published the post A Love Story in 22 Pictures. In a way that happens every now and then the exposure resulted in millions being exposed to the story and hundreds of thousands of dollars being raised for Taylor. In just the last few days the story has been featured on CNN, ABC, and on Good Morning America this morning.
Time will tell is Taylor’s story becomes a movie—it certainly has all the elements; A story packed with emotions and a strong willed character in the face of tremendous loss. But also a visual story of faith, hope and love. Until it becomes a movie we have Tim Dodd’s excellent phootgraphy and a website you can follow www.taylormorris.org and there is a Taylor Morris channel on You Tube.
And, at least for me, the story’s all the more better that its roots are right here in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
P.S. A few weeks ago Taylor was back in Iowa and had a cameo in an indie film honoring veterans and I said to one of the crew members that because of Tayor’s social media presence that he would be a bigger draw than a couple of the film’s name stars—Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas) and Sally Kellerman (MASH).
