Kristina Hazelbaker

I met Kristina about a year and a half ago. I was sitting in my living room with Gatsby watching TV when I hear the door to the apartment open. We always left the door unlocked when someone was home because with five people living in the apartment, someone would always forget their keys. I knew that everyone I lived with was at work so I immediately was confused as to who was coming into  the apartment. The door opened and a young girl I had never since before enters the apartment moving as quickly as she can and walks right past me, mutters "Hi, I'm Kristina." and goes straight into Richard's room. Gatsby and I were both a little stunned and confused. I sent a mass text out to the boys asking if anyone was expecting a Kristina at the house. Richard explained it was his friend who would be staying with us for a bit. 

A few hours later Kristina emerged from the room in pajamas and apologized for not introducing herself more. "I had been drinking a little bit with friends and told the cab driver 255th street and Fort Washington instead of 255 Fort Washington. I had no idea where I was and I've only been in New York for less than 24 hours." She told me more of her adventures of exploring the city and trying to find her way home, her passion for dancing and how her and Richard know each other from Louisiana.  

Now fast forward to present day and Kristina and I have gotten really close. She's been helping me on multiple shoots and I happened to snag this photo from when I shot with Daniel Franzese for a second time. She was in charge of holding the extra sweaters and hats and making sure to call out "Car!" if a car was coming. 

While hanging out one day I asked Kristina what her first memory of New York City was 

"The first time I ever came to New York was when I was in 9th grade and my mom, my brother and I were here for my brother's graduation trip. We had just left LaGuardia Airport and I was starting to see the skyline coming up and I turned to my mother and said 'I'm going to live here someday.' My mother said something along the lines of 'but New York is so dirty' or something like that but I didn't care. I saw it and it was like magic to me."