Charismatic, compassionate, artistic, creative, and loving
Kimmie was a person whose genuine love for others shone through in everything she did. “She was the person who lit up a room when she walked in. She possessed tremendous empathy and had a natural ability to connect with people,” said Kimmie’s mother.
She enjoyed the simple pleasures of life like playing sudoku, going for walks, visiting the beach, and sketching; her mother says she loved to visit the art museums as a kid and was always a talented artist. She was a lover of other aesthetics as well and took great joy in painting her nails, giving herself makeovers, and getting her hair done.
Her love of cosmetology led her to Venus Beauty Academy, where she received her license to practice and worked in salons for a time. She loved giving others the gift of self-confidence through her skills, but salons were not for her and she took up waitressing as she searched for another career. During this time, she was struggling with addiction, but even so was still focused on helping others.
“Right before she entered recovery, Kimmie found a kitten after work one day. He was all black and the size of her hand. She begged me to let her keep it, and of course I couldn’t say no. So, she went out and bought special kitten formula and nursed him back to health. I was amazed, because even in the throes of addiction she was still such a caring person,” said her mother, who still cares for Spooky to this day.
Before Kimmie’s passing she was in recovery for over a year, and in that time made a huge impact on those around her. She got a job at a rehab doing patient intake, which she loved, and planned to make her career. She inspired people with her life story and was a pillar of hope for women who were struggling with addiction. “Kimmie was nine months sober when we found out her brother was using opiates, and was instrumental in aiding Bobby find recovery. She helped him find a rehab, took him to meetings, and find sober friends. Her influence was so strong that even after her passing he was able to maintain his sobriety,” says her mother.
Though her life was short, Kimmie left a legacy behind, as her mother has rededicated her own life to helping others struggling with addiction. Margie has now been attending Nar-Anon for over 5 years to offer support to others. She makes family dinners and goodie baskets to take to the women’s recovery houses on holidays and is pursuing many other avenues to help others that struggle with addiction and their loved ones. She credits Kimmie as her source of inspiration to wake up every day and make the world a better place.
Kimberly’s Mother, Margie Craig, provided the information for this narrative.
December 7, 1984 – July 9, 2017
Age 32-Lived with the disease of addiction for 10 years
