Emily Harper grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, completely enchanted by her father’s photography. As a little girl, she’d watch him transform their bathroom into a darkroom, where black-and-white images slowly came to life under the glow of a red light. To Emily, it felt like magic. Inspired by those moments, she developed a love for photography of her own—so deep that even in the age of smartphones and digital cameras, she still swore by her vintage Canon AE-1.
One spring morning, 23-year-old Emily drove out to Lake Junaluska, hoping to photograph the seasonal return of the swans. But instead of capturing beauty through her lens, she stumbled upon it in real life. A swan, bloodied and tangled in reeds, was struggling to survive. Without hesitation, Emily wrapped the bird in a soft flannel blanket, placed it gently in her car, and drove from one animal clinic to the next—rejected at each one—until she finally found help at Mountainview Animal Hospital in nearby Waynesville.
That’s where she met Ethan—a calm, steady veterinarian with a quiet presence and a kind heart. He took the injured swan in, and together, he and Emily began caring for her. They named the swan Grace. What started as a mission to save a bird slowly turned into something more. Late-night check-ins led to long conversations. Coffee breaks turned into shared laughter. A connection quietly grew.
Between prepping for her next gallery show and making daily visits to Grace, Emily found herself looking forward to every moment with Ethan. He had a subtle sense of humor and a steady way of showing up—something she didn’t realize she’d been missing.
