Renée C. Byer

Death Too Young


Sacramento County has seen an alarming jump in youth suicides, raising the call for more help. Read Story

2007 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography


Renée C. Byer, senior photographer at The Sacramento Bee, has been awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for the series "A Mother's Journey". This is a slideshow of the winning entry.
Bee newsroom receives the Pulitzer announcement.
See audio slideshow Cyndie French reflect on the life of her son Derek.
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Mother's Journey

Bee photographer Renée C. Byer met Cyndie French, whose 10-year-old son, Derek Madsen, was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer. In the following year, Byer documented the highs and lows of Derek's fight for life. Byer was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography.
See Pulitzer entry Read: A Mother's Journey

A mother's journey

In May 2005, Bee photographer Renée C. Byer met Cyndie French, whose 10-year-old son, Derek Madsen, was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer. In the following year, Byer and reporter Cynthia Hubert documented the highs and lows of Derek's fight for life. It was a story Cyndi wanted others to learn from. Read project