When Marshal was adopted by Betsy in 2013, he left behind a life of abandonment, foster care transitions, anxiety, and PTSD. At the same time, his creativity flourished along with a love of small “critters” and the study of entomology. When Marshal was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2014, he drew, painted, and sculpted countless insects as he “created” his way through cancer treatment and amputation. Though he worked in many media, pen and paper were always his favorites. “Just let me draw, Mom,” he would say, “that always seems to help.”

This collage, assembled by his mother, features sketches from Marshal’s “Little Book of Caught Critters.”