Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid had a chance meeting with this 20-year-old skater in Venice Beach, and with their help, he became a model. This is John Economou's story.
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater1.jpg)
He worked as a local male model for most of his but after dropping out of college, he moved to California to find bigger opportunities with nothing but his skateboard and some clothes.
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater2.jpg)
He said:
“I packed up my backpack and flew from Milwaukee to LAX then just came here to the beach and I’ve been here ever since — just chilling.
“I don’t like saying I’m homeless — I like saying I’m on an adventure. I’m a traveller.”
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater4.jpg)
He would sleep in the sand with nothing but a sheet for protection and he would work out and shower at a Gold's Gym in the morning the next day. Some nights, he would be lucky enough to stay with girls.
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater3.jpg)
Then one day, he met two beautiful girls who had some trouble with seagulls.
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater7.jpg)
"I saw seagulls swarming around the girls because they brought the food out and I started walking over there to shoo them away.”
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater8.jpg)
Turns out, it was Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid.
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater5.jpg)
They told him he should be a model and he told them his story.
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater9.jpg)
Jenner asked her manager to hook him up with an agency and they did. He was soon signed by Two Management, under the same man who started Jenner in modeling.
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater10.jpg)
Sometimes, all it takes is some luck and chance.
![](https://fooyoh.com/files/attach/images02/3004/597/218/015/skater11.jpg)