Brewster Library Exhibits ‘The Life And Death Of Morrie Schwartz’ Through The Eyes Of Photographer Heather Pillar

BREWSTER – In 1995, Heather Pillar had the opportunity to collaborate with Morrie Schwartz, the famed Brandeis University professor. The catch? The project would chronicle Mr. Schwartz’s last six months before he passed away from ALS. 

 Today, over 30 years after his death, the show is on exhibit at the Brewster Ladies’ Library.

Pillar says she believes the wisdom from Mr. Schwartz is perennial and still touching audiences the way it touched her. 

 At the same time Pillar was photographing Mr. Schwartz, he was meeting with a former student, Mitch Albom, who would go on to write about those meetings in the best-selling memoir “Tuesdays With Morrie.” 

 Pillar first heard of Mr. Schwartz in her graduate program at Brandeis University. She was the university photographer, as well as diving into her own project photographing families on welfare. Some of the photos from her show “Mother Mary” are also on display at the library. 

 In a course taught by Maury Stein, she learned of Mr. Schwartz and his battle with ALS. Stein had spoken openly about his friend’s disease and the idea of “living while dying,” Pillar said. 

 “We talked about Morrie,” she said. “And then by the third class, we’re meditating and I thought, ‘I’m a photographer, what should I be getting out of this?’”

 With her background in documentary and news photography, Pillar thought of capturing Mr. Schwartz’s final months — depicting the true visual of life and death. 

 While it took a little coaxing — Mr. Schwartz was in the midst of being interviewed by the Boston Globe — he agreed after speaking with Pillar and Stein. 

Mr. Schwartz collaborated with Pillar to pair his aphorisms with her photographs. At Mr. Schwartz’s request, the project was completed and hung before he died. 

 In mid-September of 1995, Pillar hung the show at the university for Mr. Schwartz to view. Six weeks later, he succumbed to the disease. 

 Pillar said getting the chance to spend time with Mr. Schwartz and his chosen community was a lesson in itself, something she will never forget. At the beginning of the project, she was worried about intruding, concerned that she may be overstepping or getting in the way, but Mr. Schwartz was the first to alleviate those worries. 

 “Morrie, I have to say, he just always made me feel welcome,” she said. “I enjoyed being in his presence and his friends. They were all so welcoming.” 

 By 1997, Pillar had moved out of the United States. For the next 24 years, she traveled around the world, teaching in seven different countries. The show itself was boxed up and kept in storage. 

 In 2021, Pillar decided to return to the U.S. just as COVID was shutting down international travel. 

 “With COVID, everybody’s thinking about living and breathing and dying,” she said. “And so I really thought a lot about Morrie; it was dreaming about Morrie, really. I just knew I had to do something more with these photographs because I knew they were special.” 

 She said she looked into an exhibition book and was also in the midst of resurrecting her photography life again in the states. 

 Then she discovered a printer in Eastham, Bob Korn, who helped her print a book of her show, also titled “Memento Morrie: Images of Love and Loss.” The book contains 44 duotone images and four essays by renowned writers. It is currently on sale online at heatherpillar.com. 

 Mr. Schwartz paid a lot of attention to crafting a caring community, something Pillar has similarly found as an ongoing theme once she moved back to the U.S. She remembers how attentive Mr. Schwartz was — so present in the moments he was with those around him. She said he “really did give you his full attention.” 

 Pillar shared an anecdote about Mr. Schwartz’s critique of her timeliness, or lack thereof. 

 “He did things like he called me out for being 10 minutes late consistently, and I stopped,” she said with a laugh. “I’m pretty on time nowadays.” 

 Pillar still has a good relationship with Mr. Schwartz’s children. Sometimes Pillar does speaking engagements with Roc Schwartz about 'The Legacy of Morrie.' Pillar herself will be speaking at Eldredge Library on April 1. 

She is currently teaching at Monomoy in a long-term substitute position as art and photography teacher. 

For more information on Pillar and her work, visit her website. The show will be available for viewing at the Brewster Ladies’ Library through Jan. 31.