FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – In Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry’s more than 16 years in office, he attended hundreds if not thousands of events and appearances. For the last seven years, John Felts was there too, behind a camera, documenting the moments.
“From groundbreakings to ribbon cuttings to visits to Coney Island, the mayor did a lot of cool things,” Felts, the city’s Head of Digital Engagement, said.
Felts came to work for the City from Visit Fort Wayne in 2017 to up the mayor’s office photography and social media game. The self-taught photographer quickly learned where the lens should focus.
“Capturing these memories because down the road you want to look back and remember the good times and Mayor Henry, he touched so many people,” Felts said.
Felts estimates he has at least 50,000 photos of the mayor from all the appearances he made. They range from political events to news conferences to lightearted moments like when the mayor shaved off his mustache without telling anyone in 2017.
While the mayor had many obligations, his favorites were with young people.
“Going to schools and visiting with students was by far his favorite thing to do. He’d tell the students I’m in boring meetings all day, so going to hang out with you guys made me feel young,” Felts recalled.
Though hundreds of events and countless car rides, Felts and the mayor became more than co-workers.
“I looked at him as a mentor. A friend. In a way, an uncle or Godfather. He didn’t feel like a boss,” Felts said.
Mayor Henry and his wife Cindy even went to John’s wedding.
“My brother even mentioned it in the best man’s speech. That we had police officers there and even the mayor. That was really special. We had a great time. They were on the dance floor for a little bit,” Felts said.
Felts also ran the mayor’s social media accounts. Many posts feature his photos and he learned how to word things the way Mayor Henry would.
“I took notes and watched some of the words he used and his expressions. He gave me his trust to talk on his behalf,” Felts said.
Mayor Henry’s Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram accounts will now be retired and archived. New accounts will be made for the next mayor.
While most of the photos Felts took were for city purposes or to share with the media, sometimes he’d also send them to the other people in the picture with Mayor Henry. Now, those photos are once again being posted to social media, but this time by other people remembering the mayor.
“Over the past few weeks seeing that photo reappear again and knowing that those moments people hold on to forever,” Felts said.
Felts’ office is just three doors down from the mayor’s.
“You’d hear his voice in the hallway and now you don’t hear that anymore. Our job here on out is to carry on his legacy. He’ll be remembered most for downtown, but I think he was at his best bringing people together. He was a connecter of people. A connector of ideas. A connector of community. It was a beautiful art he had and I think a lot of people learned that from him. He was a servant leader,” Felts said.
The mayor didn’t slow down after his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
“The hardest part of everything is we weren’t ready to say goodbye to him yet,” Felts said. “Two days before he passed away, we had a podcast interview and everything was fine and then two days later he passed away.”
Felts captured Henry’s moments in life and now also in death.
“I went into the visitation before the public to take some photos of the casket and the flowers. It’s for history but also for the family. I had a moment when I was taking pictures of the casket and it just hit a little more at that moment,” Felt said.
Mayor Henry’s legacy will live on through stories and the smiles and laughs along the way will forever be frozen photographs.
“His number one goal was to make Fort Wayne a better place and I think over his terms it’s very evident that he did,” Felts said.
