Nik’s day of being a CSI team member started at 7:30 a.m. and didn’t end until many hours later when he helped detectives, technicians and law enforcement officers solve a crime. Soon after he and his parents arrived at FDLE headquarters in Pensacola, officers were called out to a mock shooting crime scene. It was time for Nik to suit up in his uniform, including a jacket embroidered with his name, impressing his mother: “He looked amazing – just like one of the gang.”
Off to the crime scene! Nik spent the next few hours combing the area for evidence, talking with police, and taking DNA samples from the two suspects: Vincent Vega, a.k.a. “8 Ball,” and Whitey Hall, a.k.a. “The Pirate.” He even got a bird’s-eye view of the scene in a sheriff’s helicopter. “It took my breath away to see how many people in law enforcement took the time to share in the day,” his mother said. Among the goodies given to Nik by FDLE personnel were last season’s CSI: Las Vegas on DVD, a signed poster, and a Quentin Tarantino script signed by cast members. He also received a fingerprint dusting kit, lab coat, and a magnifying glass that was passed down from Dr. Henry Lee – a renowned forensic scientist who worked on the O.J. case – to one of the crime scene investigators Nik worked with. The final stop on the whirlwind tour was the U.S. Court House, where he got to spend time with the Honorable Judge Kasey in her chambers. When they came out, Nik participated in a mock trial where he shared the findings . . . 8 Ball was guilty!

“Nik has been exposed to so many life-changing things that will influence who he’ll someday be,” his mother said. “The sky’s the limit, and I can’t wait to see where it takes him.”