in memorial

This week I'm traveling to Kalamazoo, Mich. to attend the funeral of my friend Nikki Gornick.

Nikki and I met when we worked at the Red Cedar Log where she was the photography editor and I was the assistant business manager. We didn't really get to know each other until midway through the year when the editorial team went on its annual trip to Tennessee and Nikki and I shared a hotel room and a lot of time together. When the group hit the bars in Nashville on the last night we had an amazing time, thanks in part to Long Island ice teas and live music. Later on, in the middle of the night, we got awoken by another hotel guest who'd accidently stumbled into our room - it was creepy and funny and we laughed about it for a long time.

After that we were friends in and outside of work. Nikki had a second job at the Union and I would go over during her shift and bug her. She let me take snacks from the Union Store without paying and later when she was a manager I'd walk with her when she did her rounds. Once we watched a wedding from the sound booth of the ballroom. Another time she snuck me into a Switchfoot concert. We'd go to happy hour after work and sometimes we'd attempt to hit a student art show on three Long Islands. I have too many good memories of Nikki to recount all of them on this little blog.

Nikki was so easy to talk to and most of the time we spent together we were talking about people we knew and boys we had met. Although I never met Joey, I remember hearing about their relationship at the very beginning when they were first dating.

Nikki was one of the coolest people I've had the chance to befriend - bubbly and funny, she had a great laugh, yet she was mature and professional at the same time. There were very few times that anyone ever questioned her decisions at RCL because we were all aware that Nikki knew what she was talking about. She was the only person my age that I actually would call a professional photographer, and not just a delittante. She took beautiful, thoughtful photographs and knew how to use light and movement and juxtaposition. Anything I pretend to know about photography came from listening to Nikki and looking at the work that she'd done.

When I think about all the time she spent student teaching, working and putting 110% into her classes I really realize what a gifted person she was. Nikki didn't know what skipping class was, and that's unheard of for a college student. She just loved what she was doing and it showed.

I knew that recently Nikki was teaching art in Michigan but I didn't really get up to date on what she was up to until about a week ago when I found she'd finally made a Facebook profile (I'd looked before and but never found her). I friended her and sent her a congratulations - she and Joey had just gotten engaged.

Four days after that Nikki and Joey were hit by a motorcycle while crossing the street. They were both killed.

I don't know what else to say other than I'm heartbroken to lose such a wonderful friend. My deepest condolences go out to all of Nikki's family and friends.