A month that started with loss, ended with loss. My first assignment in February had me at the scene of an apartment fire in Battle Creek. It happened overnight, so I wasn't expecting many people to be around. Over the hour or so that I was there, however, residents of the now-condemned building came by to try and salvage belongings. Despite the devastation from the fires, the former residents were in fairly good spirits and doing their best to look on the bright side of things. Over the next few weeks, I photographed carousels, theatres, sweet couples, and high school basketball. I ended up having a long four-day weekend due to the way scheduling worked out, so I started it off the evening of February 20th by heading to an MLive intern party in Jackson. I met the incredibly talented, kind, and funny photogs from the other Michigan papers and enjoyed every second of hanging out with them. Afterwards, I drove to Ann Arbor to spend the night with Jenna before her, Raveena and I drove to Toronto for a short girls trip the next day. When I pulled into the parking lot shortly after midnight, I received a text from John, one of my old co-workers from Main Street Hub, saying, "Hey Chelsea, I heard there's a shooting happening up there, just wanted to check in and make sure you're good." After thanking John for checking in on me and reassuring him I was alright, I checked the internet while still in my car to see what was going on. Six dead in Kalamazoo shooting spree. Two more injured. Shooter still not in custody. I honestly couldn't believe what I was reading. I had just been in Kalamazoo a few short hours ago. How could something like this happen? Turns out Jason Dalton allegedly went on a shooting spree over the course of Saturday evening, killing a father and son, four women who were out for a show, and injured a young mother and a 14-year-old girl, all while picking up Uber customers in between his violent acts. While I wasn't directly involved in this shooting, it really hits home for me. It was September 28, 2010, less than a month into my freshman year at the University of Texas. I was walking down 21st Street with my big ol' Beats headphones on to my 8 a.m., 300-person journalism class in the UTC. I'd barely been in class five minutes when two students came in alarmed and in shock, saying they'd heard gunshots and saw a gunman on the street. The same street I had just walked down five minutes earlier, blasting music through my headphones. Sophomore Colton Tooley had ran down the street, randomly firing an AK-47 before he stormed to the 6th floor of the PCL, the building next to my classroom, and shot himself. We were on lockdown in a windowless room for over three hours, compulsively checking social media on our phones and laptops for any updates. Things could've been much worse that day. It could've been like what's happened in Kalamazoo. I wanted so badly to drive back and cover the events that were unfolding, but I also wanted to spend time with my good friend who was about to move to Wyoming, so I went to Canada for our gals trip. We put reality on pause and enjoyed sightseeing. Once I was back in the states, I cut my long weekend short to help cover the aftermath. Over the week, I covered vigils, memorials, a processional and a funeral. Grief is a tricky thing to cover. Sure, you want to get some great photographs, but you also want to be extra respectful of the people you're photographing given the situation. Sometimes journalists forget that the people they're covering aren't just stories, they're PEOPLE. Being a very empathetic person, I tend to make less pictures in situations like these in an attempt to give people space and be understanding of what they're going through. Did I miss some opportune shots last week? For sure. I'm in the group of people who consider themselves a human first and a photographer second, though. Maybe that mindset won't get me the best photographs, but it's just how I feel. By the end of the month, it had been just over a week since the mass shooting, and my last assignment in February was a funeral for one of the victims. People were still crying, but they were also able to laugh about funny memories they had of their loved ones. They were able to come together and share their stories of how these people had impacted their lives. Just like with the residents who were dealing with the apartment fires, these folks were able to find the sparkle in a grim situation. Two very different losses, but the same theme of hope and positivity emerged. Let the light always win. - CP Eric Clark holds his daughter Catlyn Clark's cat Penelope while Dan Rider loads up some of Catlyn's salvageable belongings following an early morning fire at Lakeside Apartments near Battle Creek, Mich. on Feb. 2, 2016. Catlyn's mom Cathy Clark-Stephens said, "all that matters is that they're safe." "We're very loving at night. We sleep in different bedrooms but I always tuck her in at night and give her a kiss." - Harry Cornell. Harry Cornell, 91, and Gert Cornell, 91, pictured in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. The two have been married for 67 1/2 years. Friends Louise Bennink, Esther James, 100, and Ruth Evelyn Graham pictured in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. Louise was married to her husband for 58 years. Esther was married to her first husband for 25 years before he passed away and also married to her second husband for 25 years before he passed away. Ruth Evelyn was married to her husband for 43 years before he passed away. Otsego head coach Josh Holmes speaks to his team during a timeout at a high school basketball game in Plainwell, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. Fans during a high school basketball game in Plainwell, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. Otsego's Liz Barwegen (12, left) warms up with her team before a high school basketball game in Plainwell, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. Referees during a high school basketball game in Plainwell, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. The first order of The Root Beer Stand's season included a number of chili dogs as well as a half gallon of root beer. The Root Beer Stand opened on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016 for its 86th season. Mike Tupper, pastor of Parchment United Methodist Church, poses for a portrait by his tent outside of his home in Lawrence, Mich. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. Tupper has been sleeping outside in his tent since November 30 to represent the ways in which the LGBTQ community is kept outside of the doors of the church and in the cold. Tupper plans to sleep outside for 175 nights total. Tupper signed a marriage license at the wedding of his daughter Sarah and her longtime partner on August 17, 2014, resulting in a complaint being filed against him which was resolved in a just resolution with his bishop. This experience prompted him to get involved in LGBTQ advocacy work. Last year, he had a complaint filed against him for signing the marriage license of a former reverend and his partner, and the case is still pending. He hopes that one day that LGBTQ people ill be allowed to get married in their churches and be included in their church's ministry. World War II veteran John Butler received seven medals honoring his service during the war at a ceremony in Portage, Mich. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. Butler was only 16 years old when he joined the U.S. Navy in 1944. While serving on the USS Kidd as a radar operator, the destroyer was attacked by a Japanese kamikaze pilot on April 11, 1945, and Butler was injured during the battle. After being treated in hospitals in Hawaii and California for the loss of his right eye and shrapnel injuries, Butler was honorably discharged as a Seaman First Class in August 1945. In addition to the Purple Heart medal received for wounds suffered in combat, Butler was presented with the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Discharge Button, and the Honorable Service Lapel Pin. Cake is served at a ceremony for World War II veteran John Butler, who was presented with seven medals honoring his service, including the Purple Heart, in Portage, Mich. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016. A two-car collision occurred Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016 in Kalamazoo, Mich. involving a Chevrolet truck and a Chevrolet mid-size SUV, resulting in the truck being flipped on its side. The sheriff's honor guard stands in line before a ceremony in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016 which unveiled the $23 million Gull Road Justice Complex. The three-story, 85,000 square-foot building will serve to consolidate the circuit court's family division on Gull Road, the Friend of the Court Offices and the county's Probate Court, which is currently located on East Crosstown Parkway. A boy walks up a stairwell in the new Gull Road Justice Complex in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016. Crosses with the names of four of the six victims of a mass shooting in Kalamazoo, Michigan rest by the side of a tree outside of the Cracker Barrel where part of the shooting happened. A vigil was held in the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel to honor the victims of a mass shooting that occurred in Kalamazoo. Jason B. Dalton, 45, randomly stalked victims in a shooting rampage on Saturday night, Feb. 20, leaving six people dead and two others critically injured. As the aftermath of this tragic event unfolds, the Kalamazoo community continues to come together to remember the victims and to support one another. A vigil was held on the soccer field of Mattawan High School on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016 to honor Tyler and Richard Smith, two of the victims of a mass shooting that occurred in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. As the aftermath of this tragic event unfolds, the Kalamazoo community continues to come together to remember the victims and to support one another. A vigil was held on the soccer field of Mattawan High School on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016 to honor Tyler and Richard Smith, two of the victims of a mass shooting that occurred in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. As the aftermath of this tragic event unfolds, the Kalamazoo community continues to come together to remember the victims and to support one another. Vigil attendees release lanterns in honor of Tyler and Richard Smith, two of the mass shooting victims in Kalamazoo, Mich. on the soccer field of Mattawan High School on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. As the aftermath of this tragic event unfolds, the Kalamazoo community continues to come together to remember the victims and to support one another. Curtis Wiley Jr. performs a number from "Motown the Musical" during Miller Auditorium's season announcement event in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. Kacey Musgraves performs at the Kalamazoo State Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. Kacey Musgraves performs at the Kalamazoo State Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. Langhorne Slim performs at the Kalamazoo State Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. Hackett Catholic's Teddy Oosterbaan (#23) looks to pass the ball during a high school basketball game in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Kalamazoo Christian's Jared Wenke (#21) falls as he attempts to block Hackett Catholic's Jack Dales (#30) during a high school basketball game in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Hackett Catholic senior Rachael Anglin is picked up in the air and hugged by Hackett Catholic basketball player Riley Gallagher (#10) following a high school basketball game in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Harvey Koontz stands at attention with the Kalamazoo Pipe Band as they play on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016 in honor of the Kalamazoo mass shooting victims. Emily Smith looks at the lines of cars gathered to participate in a funeral processional honoring her father Richard Smith and and her brother Tyler Smith in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. The father and son were two of the six victims of a mass shooting that occurred in Kalamazoo on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. Hundreds gathered for a memorial to release balloons in honor of Tyler and Richard Smith on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016 at the Seelye Ford in Kalamazoo, Mich. where the two Smiths were killed in a mass shooting on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. A friend of Mary Jo Nye blows her nose and wipes tears away before continuing to speak at a memorial service honoring Nye, a victim of Kalamazoo's Feb. 20 mass shooting, at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church in Battle Creek, Mich. on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016. Friends and family sing "It Is Well With My Soul" at a memorial service honoring Mary Jo Nye, a victim of Kalamazoo's Feb. 20 mass shooting, at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church in Battle Creek, Mich. on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016.