The star that everyone was chasing
The oldest of several siblings, Kaylee cared deeply for her younger brothers: Nick, now 28, Dawson, now 24, Jordan, 22, Collin, 17, and Bentley, now 10. She took great pride in looking out for them and making sure they felt loved and supported, and they all protected her. She and Nick had an intense bond and had each other’s back. Her brother, Collin, discovered his love for cooking through Kaylee. She shared what she knew with him from her culinary school experience. He is now second lead cook at his work and plans to attend culinary school. She taught Jordan how to jam skate and helped him develop a sense of style and confidence, making sure that he and all her brothers were always well dressed for proms and homecoming dances. Dawson and Kaylee looked out for each other; he gave her rides when she was going through something. He is now married, and sadly Kaylee will never know her niece, Rylan. Bentley, whom she was a second mom to, was her “little bro.”
Holidays were especially important to the family. Thanksgiving and Christmas were filled with cooking, music, games, and laughter around the table. The family would gather, play cards, take pictures, and spend hours simply enjoying each other’s company. Sundays were another cherished tradition—family meals, football on television, and small trips for coffee or shopping together. Those ordinary moments became some of the most treasured memories.
Kaylee loved fashion and had an eye for style. She could sew, crochet, do hair and makeup, and put together outfits from thrift stores that looked like they belonged on a runway. She loved expressing herself through art, music, and dance. Kaylee also had an incredible voice and loved to sing. From talent shows in school to karaoke, she captivated people whenever she performed. Songs by artists like Adele or Amy Winehouse seemed to come alive when she sang them.
An honor roll student, she dreamed of building a future doing something creative with food or fashion. Kaylee was adventurous and free-spirited, with a desire to experience life fully. She loved to travel and explore, sometimes hopping on a bus, plane, or train, calling from various places like Paris or Seattle, then returning home with stories of what she had seen and the people she had met.
Despite her brightness, Kaylee struggled with addiction for the last six months of her life. She was diabetic and vulnerable, she fought hard, even surviving sepsis caused by a contaminated diabetic needle. Tragically, Kaylee’s life was cut short by fentanyl poisoning, a senseless and avoidable death that has shattered her family. Despite her mother’s years long fierce advocacy, pursuit of justice, and demands for accountability for those responsible, she says the system has failed her family; “I live with a broken heart and a life sentence of grief.”
Kaylee’s legacy of giving lives on through organ donation. The recipient of her heart lives a great life because of Kaylee, as do five others who received vital organs. “We took something so bad and turned it into a heroic act,” Maggie said.
Kaylee’s mother, Maggie Colburn, provided the information for this narrative.
March 11, 1995-May 12, 2022-Age 27
Portrait Artist: Jeremy Hebbel
Narrative Writer: Barbara Francois
