Krissy was born under the [stellar zodiacal] sign of Taurus, “the bull,” and that she was: a bit on the stubborn side, stood her ground and didn’t budge. She was smart and said what she believed, like it or not. She was not one to take chances. She didn’t like to be scared (i.e., thrilling rides, airplanes, skydiving, skindiving), or saddened (she hated movies that made her sad). She was a happy person and liked her feet solid on the ground.
Her favorite pastime was basking in the sun at the beach with her friends. Had to have a good tan. She never burned, just turned golden brown. She was a bit of a “homebody”—enjoyed watching TV ( MTV, CMT, Roxanne, Days, 90210, Melrose Place). She loved movies as long as they didn’t make her cry or scare her to death. Her favorite actors were Brad Pitt and Demi Moore. She also loved country music, and went to many concerts (dressed out in blue jeans, boots and a cowboy hat). She loved Garth [Brooks], but never got to see him in concert (he didn’t come to our town until after her death). Pure Country (with George Strait) was one of her favorite movies.
She dated and had several memorable relationships with guys who, in the end, remained close friends with her. They still stay in touch and come by now and then. I know they loved her very much.
Krissy had a group of friends that she went to school with that remained close through the years. They called themselves the “redneck girls.” They went to concerts, rodeos, the beach, movies, and line dances together. Krissy was always the “designated driver.” She made sure they all got home safely before she turned in. They would all then call each other or “beep” [with radio-pagers] each other good night before falling asleep, it was a ritual. They were very close.
Everytime someone asked what her favorite subject in school was, she would answer “lunch.” She wasn’t into school that much, but she did enjoy going just to be with her friends. She loved to go to the football and basketball games. One of her boyfriends was a football player; another played basketball. Her high school (Cooper City High School) dedicated two pages in the yearbook to her, in tribute. She would have graduated in 1996. After graduation she would have probably gone into modeling full-time for awhile, like Niki.
Krissy’s first car was a little Toyota Celica, she always thought she wanted a little sports car, so Daddy traded in his Jeep and bought her a little Celica, but then she adopted this “country mode” and her eye went to big trucks. I think Garth sang a song about a truck and she had to follow that thought. A true country girl had to have a truck! Modeling gave her financial ability to save a great deal of money, so one of the things she was able to do was buy herself the truck of her dreams. We called the dealership and told them to expect Krissy, and to show her whatever she wanted. She took her friend with her and they handed her the keys to “Big Blue”—a 1994 full-sized Chevy Z-71 off-road, extended-cab pickup truck. It was love at first sight. She drove it to the house and picked up Dad and took him for a test drive. Buying this truck on her own gave her a confidence words couldn’t describe (she was still only sixteen). I think that’s when she really appreciated the financial stability modeling gave her.
She was six-feet-tall and looked so good in that truck—it was perfect for her. She had it detailed and lifted, complete with big tires, running bars and a new sound system. Maybe that’s why she always wanted to drive instead of riding with her friends. That truck could go anywhere: the beach, mudding, rodeos, concerts. She even went to her homecoming in it (forget the limo)! Picture her in this long, slim-fitting, black-crepe dress, climbing up into her pickup truck. It was a quite a picture! When she passed away, we gave “Big Blue” to Joie.
Krissy wasn’t totally decided on being a model, but modeling came after her. It was a desireable career, highly sought after by most young girls, and it paid well. I feel she would have pursued it for awhile, until something else interested her. All she really wanted to do was marry someone she loved and have a family of her own.
Hollywood came knocking at her door on several occasions, but this was something that she was uncomfortable with. She could handle the camera crews and the hustle and bustle of the runway, but acting wasn’t her thing. I remember they wanted her to meet the director of “My Father, My Hero” (with Gerrard Depardeau). The script couldn’t have been more perfect—it was practically written for her—but she just didn’t feel confident enough.
Like NIki, she didn’t like to be singled out, she would rather be just one of the crowd. Being stared at is not a very comfortable feeling. But she was six-feet-tall and attractive—they would have singled her out even if she weren’t a model. We had to laugh; so many times the girls were approached by people saying that they should be models, not knowing who they were! She signed many an autograph. The girls would always be mistaken for one another. They just didn’t like scenes.
It was nice to have the professional courtesies that come with celebrity, and Krissy appreciated and recognized that. Of course she liked attention from guys, as long as they weren’t obnoxious. Most were intimidated by who she was. Wherever she went, “big brothers” were watching over her—it was hard not to know who she was, and most people were protective of her. Joie would often tell me not to worry about Krissy because she always had a “posse” around her.
Niki was a sister, not a supermodel, to her. They were sisters that just happened to be models. Together they were “double exposure.” I think they were proud of who they were, but they also just wanted to be one of the crowd. That was hard, as being six-feet-tall, you kinda stand out in a crowd. They would wear sunglasses and walk fast with their hair in their faces! Who were they trying to fool? They would shop until they got discovered, then head for the car and make a getaway, hoping they wouldn’t be followed. One time, we were having lunch in the mall eatery when a couple of girls recognized them and came over to get their autographs. Next thing we knew, there was a line forming and they were all grabbing napkins from everyone that was eating to have something for them to sign! Exit, stage left....
Krissy hated flying. She would rather her feet be on the solid ground. It was better when she and Niki flew together. They would play during the whole trip and nap on each other, do their nails, watch a movie and just giggle and girl-talk.
Krissy loved animals, she would bring home strays all the time. Our house was always open to a homeless animal. We would try to help it on its way, find it a home or help it, if it was hurt.
“Bless the beasts and the children, for they have no voice, they have no choice.” The girls felt that they could give them that chance. We have three cats...we used to have four, but Krissy’s cat disappeared three weeks after she passed away. (?)
One of Krissy’s last shoots was at the Dolphin Sanctuary in the Florida Keys for British Cosmo. It was a rehab for captured dolphins to try to rehabilitate them into the wild again. Krissy also got to swim with wild dolphins in the Bahamas on a dive trip with Niki and some friends about 4 years ago. They went on a five-day trip. Krissy wouldn’t go down, but she got to swim on the surface with them for over an hour.
We wanted music at Krissy’s tree, so we hung windchimes in it’s branches that meant something to each of us. Niki has always had a love for dolphins—her first tattoo was a dolphin; so, appropriately, she hung dolphin wind chimes in Krissy’s tree. Joie and Dan hung a pair of hearts with bells, symbolizing their new found love and marriage. Dad and I hung up lighthouses. I’ve developed a love for them over the past few years. I feel a lot of times I’m the beacon light guiding the way through the dark and troubled waters (that’s what moms do). Someday I’d like to live in one. Aunt Mary is the “cat lady;” she has a houseful.
Krissy loved children, and wanted to have four of her own someday. I think she had their names all picked out. She and Blake [Joie’s little girl] were the best of buddies. Blake would call her “Aunt Sissy.” She still talks about Krissy. I hope she’ll always remember her Aunt Sissy. Blake was only three when Krissy passed away. Niki’s twins were infants and will probably not have any memory of her—except through Krissy’s guiding love from above, and from numerous pictures Niki has placed in her home.
Each of the girls had wanted children. To me, this meant that they enjoyed their lives as children and wanted to carry on the spirit of the family.
Krissy would have been a loving mother, too.
Krissy was truly afraid of the drug scene. She would never get into a car if the driver had been drinking. I think that’s why she always wanted to drive. She wanted to get everyone home safely. If she was going to be late, she would always call, so not to worry us. Being a police family, she knew our concerns.
One of the funniest things that ever happened to Krissy was when she and her dad went to pick up Niki at Miami International Airport. Niki and a chaperone were coming in from the Bahamas and had to go through customs, so there was a little delay. [Krissy and her dad] were in Niki’s Bronco, parked at the curb downstairs in front of the arrivals terminal. Dad told Krissy to wait with the car while he went in to see if they had arrived. Well, Krissy had slid over into the driver’s seat and was listening to the radio when a uniformed airport person came up to the car and told her to move her vehicle. She tried to explain that her dad told her to wait with the car while he went in to see if her sister had arrived, but the person said, “I don’t care, you can’t park you car here—please move it.” So, Krissy smiled and buckled up and proceeded to drive away...only to miss the turn-around to return to the airport. She ended up out on a busy highway in a full size Bronco!
She managed to get turned around and came back to the same spot where dad had left her, and she parked again. A couple of minutes went by and there was a tap at the window. It was a policewoman. “Lady, you have to move your car, or I’ll have to ticket you!” “Okay,” said Krissy. Once more she drove off. This time she found the return to the terminal and came back, only to find no parking space, so she proceeded to go park in the parking lot. As Krissy was pulling away, Dad and Nick and chaperone were coming out the door with their mouths wide open, as they watched her drive away. The officials who asked Krissy to move the car had no idea they were asking a thirteen year old to drive!
Another funny event was when an attorney handed Krissy his card and asked her if she’d like to go to dinner sometime. She said she didn’t think she could. The attorney had seen Krissy stuck in a traffic jam after watching a hockey game at the Arena with her aunt. He saw this pretty girl in this truck and must have thought, “Hey, why not?” Well, Aunt Mary, being married to an attorney, got his number and called him the next day to break the news to him that Krissy was only sixteen. Turned out he was 25, so we introuced him to Joie and they dated for awhile!