Jenesee Utley comes from a Mormon Utah family who are descendent of the first Mormon's who migrated to Utah, making her Mormon royalty. She modeled when she first came to New York. I met her shortly before a tragedy in her life.
Jenesee was dating the lead singer of a band called Gang Gang dance (which has in recent years grown in popularity). He was apparently looking at an occult book while waiting for her on the balmy August 2002 night that they went to sit on a lower east side roof of a small walk-up building. As they sat on the roof they saw a storm on the horizon and decided to watch it roll in. It did and the improbable happened - they were hit by lightening in Manhattan at a low altitude. The singer was killed and Jenesee was hit as well but survived, looking on at her mangled lover as she lay paralyzed. It was in either the Post or the Daily News.
People were awful to her after this crisis. The members of the band shunned her and others acted with a medieval hysteria and neglect that I have never seen the likes of before. Someone I knew told me she was in a situation and I had an extra room and was happy to have her. When she stayed with me she was my muse at which time I took these photos. I am very happy we had the time we had together in my insane art and paint covered apartment with cigarette butts on the floor.
I met Jenesee as somewhat of a girl and she is very much a woman now. She moved across the street from me for a short time after being my roommate and fell madly in love after that and is presently gloriously married with a flawlessly groomed scottie. She worked hard as a clothing stylist when living with me and has flourished in the field since. Her professional dedication and ability has paid off and I'm so happy she is doing so well at it. She came by for tea a few days ago. She still carries herself and speaks with a very appealing otherworldly poise and grace. I was SO happy that anyone who lived with me has come back to the site (I've not been perfect and there have been some opportunistic bad seeds). She had mentioned how grateful she was that I took her in as a roommate immediately without question after the accident and I must say I thought nothing of it at the time. It certainly was a very auspicious accident. Lightening apparently hit the stage at her high school graduation as well - and she still has roof parties at she and her husbands place in the summer! Three's the charm. The evening after she left my apartment for tea the framed picture I have of her (the top image in this entry) fell of the wall and took down every painting below it. I loved it - I felt like an Addams family member who had just been visited by their favore relative.
Lulu and I with Jenesee sporting her pilgrim look in our living room.
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