Meet the Press: Nicole LaBosco

Nicole LaBosco, known to most as just LaBosco, is a Content Creator for Nonahood News and has been with us since June 2017. She graduated from Lake Nona High School in 2011 and from UCF in 2015. Nicole is a lively and spirited woman, most often seen with her service dog Zar, taking photos and traveling.

Instagram: @laboscoproductions

What brought you to the Nonahood?

My family relocated here for my dad’s job right after 9/11. My dad used to work in the United States Secret Service and then became a Federal Air Marshal. We pretty much got to choose wherever we wanted to live, and naturally my brother and I, being 12 and 9, wanted to go to where the theme parks were. Lake Nona was still off the map with nothing but cow pastures and one or two developing neighborhoods.

Where are you from originally?

I was born in Fairfax County, Virginia, and lived there for like five or six years before moving to Stafford, Virginia, for a few years. My family moved to the Lake Nona area in August of 2002. So, I enjoyed 15 years watching Lake Nona develop into the next best thing, and it’s continuing to break expectations!

What’s your favorite hobby?

Spending time with my service dog, Zar, is my go to. He’s literally my life, and I couldn’t love anything or anyone more! I’d also say it’s a toss up between traveling and photography, which is why I try to combine the two. Although my entire camera roll just ends up being full of photos and videos of Zar. Haha! No shame there!

What’s your biggest dream?

The ultimate goal would be to travel the world and be able to document those memories through photos and videos. Being able to indulge in different cultures and share those experiences with the rest of the world is something I’m pretty passionate about. Australia is the number one destination on my list and has been for as long as I can remember, so the day I get to travel down under, I’ll probably be in disbelief the entire time. I’d probably cry when I saw a kangaroo. Haha! I think being a host of a TV show would be a pretty fun experience as well!

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Oh wow, I’d love to be in the process of creating my own family. I can see myself relocating to somewhere colder, like Colorado – I’ve had that goal for a few years now. The mountains take my breath away, and I feel like all of that natural beauty would encourage me to dive into my photography more often. Being able to experience all four seasons there is a plus, but I really miss the snow! I’d like to create my own photography and videography business at some point, too. I love capturing memories for myself and for others.

What are you most excited about in Lake Nona?

Everything is developing so quickly, it’s kind of hard to pinpoint something I’m really looking forward to in this area. There are a lot of options! The more I think about it, I’m looking forward to the water park/lagoon as well as the variety of entertainment that’s planned to be near the Beacon. I love seeing one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants thrive, and I hope Lake Nona can offer more of those options other than the typical fast food and chain restaurants. As a pretty big Orlando City fan, I can’t wait for their training facilities to relocate to our Sports District.

Who’s your biggest inspiration?

Hands down, my parents: Pam and Tony. I’ve learned so much and I’m still learning. My mom was always my biggest inspiration growing up. She passed away from leukemia when I was 15. One of the most important things I learned from her was to never stop fighting, no matter the odds. Strength wasn’t just physical, but emotional and mental, too. That’s something I have to remind myself to continue working toward. There’s always room to grow. My dad continues to prove to me that it’s never too late to follow your dreams and passions. His biggest passion, ever since he was little, is playing the guitar. Still to this day, he has the time of his life when he’s on stage playing his music, and it’s so much fun to experience. He’s also living proof that life throws unexpected and sometimes devastating curveballs that require you to take on roles that you may not feel cut out for, but you’ve always got to at least take a chance, a leap of faith.

What’s your favorite book?

I really haven’t read any books in a long time. Kind of sad, I know.

*What’s something you’ve done that scared you the most or brought you out of your comfort zone?

I went skydiving five years ago! Jumped from 18,000 feet! One of the craziest experiences ever! I honestly can’t say I was scared until I started suiting up. Boarding the plane, the nerves began sinking in, but there was no way I wasn’t jumping. It was such a euphoric feeling. After the first second of free falling, you don’t really realize you’re falling. You feel like you’re floating, and for me, it was really exciting but also peaceful. I know that sounds crazy, but as soon as I landed on the ground, I said that was something I could do every day. It’s one of those experiences that I’m so glad I had the courage to jump, but I think it freaks me out more now than it did before. I’d definitely do it again, though!

*Describe one of your most memorable experiences.

Traveling through 5 countries, 8 cities in 12 days in 2015. That was a trip of a lifetime! I went to Reykjavik, London, Venice, Florence, Rome, Athens, Santorini and Paris. The fact that I was able to do and see so much in such a short amount of time is crazy, but that trip was absolutely worth it! The videos and photos that I have from that trip contribute to some of the best memories ever.