In Memory of Kat

It happened again. Another beautiful soul who left this Earth too soon. I don’t know the specifics of her death, but I do know that it was suicide.

I first met Kat through my best friend, Kristin. It was soon after I moved to St. Pete five years ago. Kristin and I went out dancing, and we met up with Kat at a bar. I immediately noticed her physical beauty. And after seeing her rock out on the dance floor, I wasn’t surprised to learn that she was both a model and a dancer. Kat was the first friend that Kristin made after relocating to Florida from Chicago.

There were a few girls’ nights out that followed, and Kat started invited us to hoop dance at events she was involved with. She was heavy into the local music and dance scene. Considering I was just starting Hoola Monsters at the time, it was nice to connect with local DJs and begin to build my performance resume. One memorable performance was metal artist Frank Strunk’s Wearable Art Fashion Show in Dunedin. Kat was one of his top models, and we hoop danced in the show’s finale.

She always supported my vision for Hoola Monsters. The last time I saw her, she came out to the restaurant where I perform every Friday night just to take photos of me hooping, so she could promote my business. Kat had a big heart. When I close my eyes and think of her, I immediately see a smiling face, gracefully working her way around the dance floor.

I know that if my book had been finished, she would have been one of the first people to read it. I can’t help but wonder if I had the book finished, maybe it would have helped her… Kat posted a message on my Facebook page two days before she died, saying that she was proud of me. She was an incredibly supportive friend.

Kristin now lives in San Francisco. We found out about Kat on the same day (after her memorial service), and I know that Kristin is having a hard time with the news (naturally). Kat was a good person, and she will be missed.