Reina Swensen, 14, of Pleasant Grove and dressed as the antagonist from “The Nun”, poses for a portrait before the Haunted Forest opened Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in American Fork.

October has come and gone, and so has fall. The cold of winter is very much here, and probably here for good.

October is always a favorite month of mine. This one went quickly, as most days were jam-packed. High school state tournaments involving multiple sports definitely took the majority of my hours, which often left me to delegate freelancers to cover news events to fulfill the visual needs of the front page. I wouldn't always be able to make it to all of a day's assignments without simply working all day, and I'm thankful to have the ability to assign freelancers and reporters to help put out the best newspaper we can every day with who and what we have.

This month, a story I photographed in late September for the Los Angeles Times published. It is about Randy Merrell, a world-class boot maker and creator of custom orthotics. Randy is best known as a co-founder of Merrell Boots.

Though he is renowned for his footwear craftsmanship, the story focused on not only his lifelong dedication to his craft, but also his faith. To paraphrase greatly, though there is no substitute for Thomas Curwen's touching story, Merrell's life has been touched by heartbreaking tragedy several times, and his steadfast faith has helped him weather some of life's toughest storms.

My personal edit of photos from that story can be seen at the end of this blog. Read and see the LA Times’ presentation of Randy’s story here: provodh.com/gzcvd.

American Fork forward Addie Gardner (7) celebrates after scoring the first and only goal during the 6A state championship match between the American Fork Cavemen and the Davis Darts held Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy.

Runners make their way along the course during the 6A boys race as part of the state cross country meet Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City.

Skyridge wide receiver Mitchell Adamson (21) can’t quite reel in a catch as he and the ball go out of bounds during a game between the Skyridge Falcons and the Lone Peak Knights held Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at Skyridge High School in Lehi.

Henry Nipper, membership director of the Camerail Club of Omaha, Nebraska, helps Carter Lee, 3, and his mother, Kenzie, both of American Fork, down the steps of the experience car as Big Boy No. 4014, a steam locomotive, is displayed to the public Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, at Union Pacific Railroad’s Provo Yard.

MaryClare Callahan, of Vineyard, begins a dance routine beside Averi Jorgensen, 11, of Lehi, during a class held at Naomi Lou Studios on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, in Pleasant Grove.

Skyridge running back Jeter Fenton (26) raises the ball after initially falling just short of the goal line during a game between the Skyridge Falcons and the Lone Peak Knights held Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at Skyridge High School in Lehi.

Skyridge wide receiver coach Ethan Wright celebrates a touchdown reception by wide receiver Noah Erickson (9)  during a game between the Skyridge Falcons and the Lone Peak Knights held Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at Skyridge High School in Lehi.

Brigham Young University sophomore forward Wyatt Lowell poses for a portrait during the basketball program’s media day Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, at the Marriott Center Annex in Provo.

Brigham Young University sophomore guard Blaze Nield poses for a portrait during the basketball program’s media day Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, at the Marriott Center Annex in Provo.

Brigham Young University senior forward Yoeli Childs poses for a portrait during the basketball program’s media day Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, at the Marriott Center Annex in Provo.

Brigham Young University freshman McKenna Dahl chants “B-Y-U” with fellow students just after they lit their lanterns during the annual Hike and Light the Y homecoming event Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Y Mountain in Provo.

Brigham Young University students make their way down the trail with lanterns after the annual Hike and Light the Y homecoming event Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Y Mountain in Provo.

Pleasant Grove defensive specialist Jade Horsley (3) celebrates a point during a game between the Lone Peak Knights and the Pleasant Grove Vikings held Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, at Lone Peak High School in Highland.

Westlake’s Michael Moffat gathers himself after finishing with a time of 15:40.5 in the 6A boys race as part of the state cross country meet Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City.

Skyridge’s Creed Thompson crosses the finish line to win the 6A boys race with a time of 15:14.3 as part of the state cross country meet Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City.

Davis’ Hope Preston, left, consoles Ruth Wright after the 6A girls race as part of the state cross country meet Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City.

Ben Hooley pushes his sleeping children, Emma, 3, and Gehrig, 4, up a path after a jog along the Jordan River Parkway with them and his dog, Swinney, on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in Lehi. “I decided at the end of last year that I wanted to take my kids on a marathon a month throughout 2019,” Hooley said, who’s an avid runner. “Someday, they won’t want to spend all this time with me. Until that day, I’ll spend as much time with them as I can.”

Maple Mountain forwards Paola Garcia (17) and Kenlee Nelson (20) celebrate Garcia’s goal that put the Golden Eagles up 1-0 during a 5A state quarterfinals match between the Timpanogos Timberwolves and the Maple Mountain Golden Eagles held Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, at Timpanogos High School in Orem.

Eric Dowdle, artist and founder of Dowdle Folk Art, poses for a portrait in front of a piece of art he created Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, at his art studio and retail store in Lindon. The piece of art was created for the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, and toured the country.

Skyridge running back Malae Tanuvasa (11) celebrates with fellow players and students after the Skyridge Falcons defeated the Lone Peak Knights 22-21 on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at Skyridge High School in Lehi.

Traffic flows along Pioneer Crossing near the road’s intersection with Redwood Road on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, in Saratoga Springs. Pioneer Crossing is almost at its capacity of cars and more people keep moving to the western part of the county on a daily basis. Approximately 50,000 cars a day use the road.

Randy Merrell poses for a portrait with a shoe last among various leathers and other boot-making materials at his workshop, Merrell FootLab, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, just outside of Vernal, Utah. Merrell’s journey as a boot maker began when he was a teenager and saw a pair of Tony Lamas in Salt Lake City — brown-lizard wingtips, pointed toes, buck stitching, burgundy uppers and one-and-quarter-inch heels — and he was smitten.

As a teenager, he helped run the family farm in Vernal — 40 acres with Arabian horses — and among his chores was a monthly trip into town to get his father’s shoes repaired. Randy Merrell inspects the fit of trial shoes made from packaging tape on Tom Overton, a lawyer from Evergreen, Colorado, at his workshop, Merrell FootLab, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, just outside of Vernal, Utah. Merrell wraps shoe lasts in packaging tape, and then cuts the tape to create a trial shoe that he can inspect on a client’s feet and then make finer adjustments to their shoe lasts.

Randy Merrell and Tom Overton, a lawyer from Evergreen, Colorado, compare two kinds of leather on the hood of Overton’s SUV to decide which will be used to make hiking boots for Overton at Merrell’s workshop, Merrell FootLab, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, just outside of Vernal, Utah. On New Year’s Day 1975, he hung a silhouette of a boot out in the front yard of his father’s house and waited for customers. Merrell’s workshop stands next to his Earth-covered home, seen in background, in which his father died helping build when the bulldozer he was driving broke through the ceiling layer.

A piece of stitched leather lies on a workbench at Randy Merrell’s workshop, Merrell FootLab, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, just outside of Vernal, Utah.

Randy Merrell and Preston Barker, his apprentice and business partner, work together to remove the outsole of a client’s boot at Merrell’s workshop, Merrell FootLab, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, just outside of Vernal, Utah. Barker had been delivering household appliances and jumped when Merrell offered him the job. Had he not, Merrell claims, the business would never have survived.

Randy Merrell walks to a priesthood meeting as part of a service held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Rock Point Chapel on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, in Vernal, Utah. Feet and faith have long carried pilgrims through life, and they have sustained Merrell on his journey as well. Through his hardships, Merrell’s faith has given him the understanding and strength to explain the unexplainable.

Randy Merrell greets his friend Connie Fink after a sacrament meeting as part of a service held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Rock Point Chapel on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, in Vernal, Utah.

Randy Merrell cleans the grave of his 24-year-old son, Luke, as he visits it as well as his wife’s grave at Dry Fork Cemetery on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, northwest of Vernal, Utah. Luke died in a climbing accident. LouAnn, his wife, died in 2017 after she was swept away by the current of a creek.

Randy Merrell finishes looking at the “Remember The Maine” wall, which was repainted by his now-deceased son, Luke, for its 100th anniversary as an Eagle Scout Service Project in 1997, on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at Remember The Maine Park northwest of Vernal, Utah. “Remember The Maine” refers to a U.S. Navy ship that sank in Havana Harbor in 1898, reportedly contributing to the outbreak of the Spanish–American War.

A wedding photo of LouAnn and Randy Merrell hangs in their living room Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, just outside of Vernal, Utah. LouAnn, Randy’s wife, died in 2017 after she was swept away by the current of a creek. The two were sealed in a marriage ceremony at the Manti Utah Temple.

Randy Merrell sets off on one of his most frequented hikes Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, near his home just outside of Vernal, Utah. He knows many will say his beliefs are a mask for pain, fear and doubt, but that hardly matters to him.

Randy Merrell poses for a portrait while taking a hike Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, near his home just outside of Vernal, Utah. His conviction is supported by a church where the scrim between earth and heaven is easily parted and couples once sealed are reunited in heaven. Life is not a series of random occurrences but filled instead with signs for those willing to see.