Hi, we are the ream family

My name is Ethan and this is my wife, Molly. Together, we are the Heritage Helper team.

For us, preserving family memory is a labor of love.

When Molly’s grandmother passed away in 2021, she left behind the most photo albums that I had ever seen a single person possess. There were over eighty! (see photo below)

In reality, this vast collection was not a surprise to anyone who knew Mimi. She was a devoted follower of Jesus. She kept photos of every grandchild, friend and relative close by. She constantly prayed for them all. To her, these photos were the most precious treasure on Earth.

I immediately knew that I wanted to help Molly’s family create a digital copy of Mimi’s photos. It would be such a comfort to each family member to have them secured forever in a format that could be easily shared.

I had prior experience digitizing media for family members, but never on this scale. It was almost overwhelming. These photo albums spanned decades. Each was thick with hundreds of memories. In addition to the photos, there were hours of video and audio on VHS, film reels and cassette tapes.

This massive project would require my full attention for the next several months. My hours outside of my full time job were occupied with learning everything I could about media preservation. I only accepted the most sophisticated methods available for this project, and my work began to yield beautiful digital images.

Me with all of Mimi’s photo albums

In time, Molly and I integrated state of the art equipment that brought an edge of efficiency. Our new tools gave us the ability to offer retouching services to aged and damaged photos. We were now able to create visually superior digital photos and movies at a much quicker pace.

We were so thankful for this evolution of skill and for the tools that brought us more capability. Both factors were so needed to complete this huge project. In total, the digital file we created contained over 14,000 photos, and 10 hours of combined video and audio footage. It was a joy to share in its entirety, and such a comfort for each person in Molly’s family to know that they have each memory forever. Completing the project is something that I am very proud of.

Creating this digital archive made me realize that I could do this for others too. Most people do not have a collection as extensive as Mimi’s, but nearly everyone has some old home photos and movies tucked away. Many families’ older memories exist solely as physical copies. People want to be able to reminisce their moments from decades past with the same ease as scrolling through one’s camera roll. Take the next step to save your collection from deterioration. Let us help you create a digital archive of your family photos and movies that lasts forever and is so easy to share with every person.

Heritage Helper is happy to take on projects of all sizes. Please click below to book a free consultation. Let’s discuss your needs and create a personalized plan to create your digital archive.