5 things to know about transgender makeup artist Nikki Kuhnhausen

Nikki Kuhnhausen, a 17-year-old trans teen from Vancouver, Washington, was brutally murdered by a man way older than her in a hate crime. Often described as vivacious, exuberant, kind, and high-spirited, Nikki was loved by all, be it family, friends, or the cheerleaders at her school.

Lisa Kuhnhausen-Woods, the teen's mother, knew something went wrong when she couldn't get in touch with her daughter, who had also failed to return home on June 6, 2019. About six months after the mysterious disappearance, her body was discovered near a hiking trail on Larch Mountain. The alleged murderer, David Bogdanov, was found guilty of second-degree murder and received 20 years in jail.

Lifetime's #TextMeWhenYouGetHome is scheduled to revisit the murder story this Monday, July 18, 2022, and here are five things one must know about Nikki Kuhnhausen's legacy ahead of the episode premiere.

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Nikki Kuhnhausen: Five things to know about the late trans teen from Washington

1) An aspiring make-up artist

Nikki Kuhnhausen was a make-up enthusiast who aspired to become a hairstylist and make-up artist for her idol and role model, Nicki Minaj. Not to mention, she also has a good reputation amongst cheerleaders, especially for her splendid skills.

Her mother, Lisa Woods, told People Magazine in an interview that,

"The cheerleaders were on her side instantly, because she was really good at it. If the cheerleaders are on your side, who's going to pick on you?"

The 17-year-old also wanted to participate in America's Next Top Model.

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2) A self-assured transgender

Nikki Kuhnhausen, originally born Nikolas, came out as transgender when she was in the sixth grade. Woods reportedly stated that she never struggled with her identity and was always pretty sure about who she was from an early age.

Her mother stated:

"To be honest, the word 'transgender' never entered our house, because it was just Nikki."

Nikki's friend Taylor Watts also reportedly said that Nikki,

"Knew exactly who she wanted to be and who she was."

She proudly wore her hair long and showed an ability to apply eyeliner and lipstick as early as the sixth grade.

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3) An inspiration to the trans community and women of her age

Nikki came out very young and always took pride in her identity. As previously stated, the term "transgender" was never really used in her household, and she started identifying as Nikki. She inspired people to dream big.

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4) A supportive friend and a literal ray of sunshine

Nikki's friends described her as a robust and compassionate supporter of their lives who cared deeply about patients from all backgrounds of society.

One of her friends, a pastor for the youth, commented on Kuhnhausen's "sass," saying,

"My gosh, the sass. She had a way of just knowing what you needed, knowing what you really felt. She was always with me, arm in arm, wherever we went."

Additionally, her encouragement and assistance enabled Pink, a distinct acquaintance from the Vancouver homeless community, to quit abusing heroin and rebuild her life.

Pink reportedly stated:

"Nikki was so kind and generous. She would constantly make sure that everybody downtown had food, water. I feel like I could never repay the happiness that Nikki brought to my life."

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5) Part of an unconventional yet tight-knit family

Lisa Woods stated that she had a tight-knit relationship with her daughter Nikki Kuhnhausen. During a gathering to honor and celebrate the teen's legacy, Woods spoke of her daughter, saying,

"She had so much love for all of you. I’m not ready to accept that she’s gone forever, so I really can’t talk about her in the past tense yet."

She added,

"Since she went missing, there have been people supporting us that both knew her and didn’t know her. Tonight is more for them. I’m not there yet. She was my oxygen."

Nikki's brother, Conrad, also came forward commenting on the victim's free-spirited nature, saying,

"The one thing I hope everyone can take away from this is to be yourself. Be who you were made to be. Don’t give up."

Ecko, the younger sister, recalled all the joyous moments she used to have with her older sister, while Vince Woods, her stepfather, said that he is also finding it difficult to accept the tragedy, calling their lives a "roller-coaster ride."

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Nikki was murdered in a hate crime by 25-year-old Bogdanov as an act of rage, a contradiction to the latter's previous testimony, which said that he strangled her using a chord while trying to defend himself. Her remains were only discovered months after her disappearance, along with her belongings, which were later used to identify the body.

Catch the full story of the tragic and untimely death of 17-year-old Nikki Kuhnhausen on Lifetime's #TextMeWhenYouGetHome this Monday.