When Audriena Hutchinson looks at her favorite modeling photo, her face lights up.

“I love this picture right here; I love that picture,” she said with a laugh, pointing proudly at an image that captured more than just a pose—it captured a lifelong dream fulfilled.

After serving 22 years in the United States Navy, Hutchinson retired and pursued something she’d always wanted: modeling. The photo symbolized freedom, joy, and a new beginning.

But just months later, everything changed.

A Thanksgiving that changed everything

It was a typical Thanksgiving morning in 2012. Hutchinson’s mother, Donna, was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. The two had been chatting earlier, sharing stories from the night before.

“She had been out with her friends,” Donna recalled. “And I’m in the kitchen slav

See Full Page