In Memory of Kimberly Kenney

After losing my mom to Alzheimer's, I knew I couldn't just stand by. I wanted to honor her memory in a way that would make a difference. That's why I joined the fight to end this devastating disease by creating this tribute page in her name.

If you want to understand the impact Kim had on this world, you only have to look at the thousands of lives she improved just by being present. Kim lived a life of service toward others. She would often talk fondly about the hours and hours she spent cleaning the church with her dad as a kid. She was always helping or offering to help, always putting others before herself, even when she could barely walk. She paid attention to the smallest details if it meant making someone’s day a little brighter. She spent decades doing some of the most important and often thankless work anyone can do: she was a nurse. First in hospitals, doctors’ offices, then in schools, caring for patients and students alike. But for Kim, nursing was never just about medical care. It was about connection and conversation. It was about truly seeing people. Students would come to her office not because they felt sick, but because they loved talking to her. They felt understood and valued. They felt loved. She knew so many students that she often forgot their names, so everyone became “sweetie.” Or “peanut.” Or “honey.” These weren’t placeholders; they were genuine terms of affection. Kim never met a person she couldn’t talk to for hours. Whether it was someone in a waiting room or the person sitting next to her on a plane, every stranger was simply a future friend.

To her grandchildren, she had a special phrase: “Who loves you?” She wrote it in their birthday cards, said it before they left the house, and repeated it every chance she got. They always knew the answer, of course. “Grandma!” She would also sing over and over the song 'High Hopes' by Frank Sinatra to them, and really anyone who would listen. Kim Kenney never gave up and she wanted to spread the message to others about never giving up.

By taking this step, I'm following my mom's guidance and not giving up by raising funds to support the critical work of the Alzheimer's Association: providing care and support for families, advancing promising research and offering a lifeline through their free 24/7 Helpline (800.272.3900). Every dollar raised helps ensure that no one faces Alzheimer's alone.

I'd be so grateful if you would make a memorial gift in her name. It would mean a lot to me and those facing this relentless disease. A future without Alzheimer's is out there. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity.

Here are some of the lyrics to the song she loved to sing:

"Next time you're found

With your chin on the ground

There a lot to be learned

So look around

Just what makes that little old ant

Think he'll move that rubber tree plant

Anyone knows an ant can't

Move a rubber tree plant

But he's got high hopes

He's got high hopes

He's got high apple pieIn the sky hopes

So any time you're gettin' low'

Stead of lettin' go

Just remember that ant

Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant

Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant

Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant"