18/02/2025
Some of you asked us to share our speeches from Kimbers Celebration. So here is Mine. Still unedited or proofread. Thank you all again for joining us. DAD
Hello,
I would like to first thank everyone for coming to this celebration today.
We are gathered here to celebrate and continue on the legacy of Kimber Amore Poindexter.
Ill start by introducing myself for those that don’t know who i am. There is a lot of people that Kimber met and talked to
along the way that may have never met me. I am Mike Poindexter, Kimbers Father, and will begin by talking about Kimbers
life before cancer. In the middle of my tattoo apprenticeship I met Kimbers mother Caitlin at a tattoo convention. For me it
was love at first site, for Caitlin she probably thought I was a pain in the ass at first site. Needless to say we both
fell in love and started dating real serious real fast. A mere 10 months later she would bless me with the words. “Im
pregnant” There was a slight pause but then I said let's do this, I was all in. I never even thought about having kids with
her but from the moment she told me I never held back. For some reason I just knew she was the one. 9 months later on June
10 , 2012 a light like no other was born. On that day I learned what unconditional love was. Not only toward my daughter
but she also taught me to have that love toward her mother. Love is one of the gift Kimber gave me that I will cherish forever.
Not “i love you love” but deep burning, compassionate, I would do anything in the world for you love. For the first four
years of her life I got to relish in the moment of bliss with a promising future. July of 2016 I was blessed
with the words “im pregnant” again. We were both excited to find out that Kimber was soon to have a sister. Early in March
of 2017 Kimber had experienced some pain in her right leg. We thought nothing of it till a few days later she would put no
pressure on her leg. We did like any parents would do and brought her to the hospital. It was on that Friday, after an X-
ray, that we learned Kimber could potentially have cancer. Caitlin was 8 months pregnant when we went to DC to do testing
to find out exactly what that was. We got back from DC and just a couple of week later on March 24, 2017 her amazing
little sister Vada was born. It was just as incredible as when Kimber was born but with a looming storm cloud about to
erupt. Just 3 days later on March 27, 2017 the day we came home from the hospital with Vada, merely moments after coming
in and setting our stuff down, that Kimber did indeed have cancer. This would lead us into the darkest times of either
myself or Caitlins life, in those dark times though we met some of the greatest people in our life. I want to take the
time right now to thank some of those people.
The list is probably endless due to the amount of people that we met along the way. If I leave you out its not on purpose
but as you can see by the amount of people in the room Kimber had a lot of friends.
First where it all started. Dr. Harrington. I can’t thank you enough for taking care of Kimber when she was a toddler and
always helping us seek down answer for all the ailments Kimber was having. From allergies, to random fevers, the pain in
her leg, and everything in-between. If it wasn’t for you being straight forward we might not have had all the time we did
with Kimber. We were able to catch her cancer very early on and I can’t thank you enough for that. You treat kids like a
doctor should. Like kids.
Dr. File
I don’t even know where to begin with you. Dr file is and incredible doctor and human being. He treated not only Kimber with the best intentions but also us her parents with the most raw and straight for answers as both Caitlin and myself requested. He found out early on we are the kind of people that just want to know. Just like kimber we didn’t need magic words to beat around the bust we just wanted the truth straight up and what we are going to do about it to beat this cancer. For 8 years this doctor would be by outside fighting this fight while also saving others. His expertise and decisions along the way is why we got the magical 12 years with Kimber that we did. All the way to the very end in her bedroom Dr. File was there to support us. So thank you. Thank you for trying to save my daughter. I will be forever indebted to you for the time you gave us with Kimber. Ill carry you in my heart forever.
Nurse Teresa
I know exactly where to begin with you. You were just about the only person that was able to even remotely contain Kimbers sass. She respected you the most in that hospital. She trusted you as much as I trusted you, which was all the way. We knew that day or night you would be there for us from the very beginning. There is no one else at CHKD that could do what you do. We got through so many accesses, though many were hard, because of you. I know Kimber got pi**ed at you those few times you missed but you were the only person she fully trusted in that process. You were one of the people she talked about most when we not at the hospital. She always had something she "wanted to show you" or would pose the question "do you think teresa would like this" constantly. I never got tired of it. I thought despite the circumstances it was great that she had mad a friend in all of this. Your choices you made with caring for Kimber is another reason we got the 8 years we did after diagnosis. You were also very straight forward with us and gave us great advice the entire time all the way to the end you were right next to us. Ill also carry that in my heart forever.
Nurse Rob
Oh nurse rob. I can't even begin with you. You were ok.
Actually you were the big brother that Kimber never had. You still did your job with the utmost professionalism that you could given the circumstances dealing with Kimber. She loved you like a big brother. From the nerf gun fights, clowning around in clinic, jump scares, and your pretend girlfriend. I bet you have a paid actress here with you right now ( that was inside joke between kimber and rob)
I also can't thank you enough for the support you showed my family inside and outside the hospital through edmarc. Kimber always looked forward to seeing you except if you had to access her. Then you were the annoying big brother she never wanted but with all the love. You were a person we could always count on the keep things running smoothly at clinic and get burned by Kimber while you were doing it. She might not have always shown it but she loved you deeply Rob. She looked forward to everyday you were at clinic even though it was mostly to torture you it was out of love. I can't thank you enough for being that companion for her the entire way. I will also carry that with me forever.
Dr. Henshaw
Thank you for your delicate hands that did the limb salvage surgery that gave Kimber the chance to walk on her on for most of the journey. I know she kept breaking your hard ware but you did several more surgeries to keep her going. She was walking on her own leg at the end. This was one of the most important things for her was her independence. You and your team gave her that for most of her journey and I want to thank you for that.
Miss Krissi
I don't even know how to put into words the bond you and Kimber created in the time you were at CHKD. You were her best friend. You we're the first person she looked for every single time we we're in clinic. The first words were always "is miss krissi here" You got her through some of the hardest days in clinic. You already know how important you were to her. She cherished you as I do for being such a great friend to her. From the arts, crafts, uno games, watching your struggle to play the nintendo with her, and the countless takes of tik tok videos that we did. It just warms my heart to think about how much you cared for her. thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the joy you brought to Kimber. Also for all of your help today. I will cherish you like she did.
Edmarc an amazing home hospice for the kids. 24/7 they have your back. Any time my family needed anything they were able to help us in one way or another. They came almost every week to our house all 8 years to take care of her or facilitate medicine for Kimber. They pushed us in a loving way to help with finances along the way. They provided play therapy for both the kids when times got tough. Edmarc s social worker helped us with the entire process of the impossible what to do after Kimber passed. Edmarc is the reason we are all in this building as they suggested doing the celebration here. The team of nurses and people that volunteer for them are unbelievable and i can't imagine doing any of this without them. Looking back on all of it I realize how much of a huge role they played in keeping Kimber comfortable. I have a great respect for what you organization does and continues to do. Thank you to the entire staff and volunteers.
I will continue now by just listing in no particular other people and charities that helped us along the way that I am also the most thankful for being a part of my families journey:
Eric and the roc solid team. The front line of the battle. A great non profit that helps you start you journey and live by "play defeats cancer" a huge help along the way.
Bryan staletti - child care specialist in the beginning of kimbers journey and now a member of the roc solid crew
Joan and the tobys dream team. Helping kids live their dream locally. You guys did a lot for my family and i really appreciate you.
Special love - a camp and event creator for kids/parents/ and siblings
The lighthouse retreat- beach time and bonding with other cancer parents
Victory Junction - Hands down Kimbers favorite camp. She looked forward the most to going to this one.
James O - LAD in battle (virtual camp)
Dr Matt and the Radiation team at Sibley memorial hospital
Dr shaw and team at Nationwide in columbus
Casey Cares- DC/Maryland/Virginia making memories with sports and aquarium
The gold hope project- pictures for families (dressed up a unicorn for kimber to take pictures with)
Little wish foundation- helped makeover her room
Hooked on Hope- Fishing trips/Pier
Believe in tomorrow- reprise housing ( deep creek maryland )
D-feet cancer- DALTON FOX FOUNDATION - cancer research
Our amazing fighters- Great wolf lodge
Alexs lemonade stand- The flights back and forth to columbus
Abbys foundation - making memories
keylees legocy - donating legos to kids
cape ivy- kimbers infamous unicorn pancho
The was strong- helping with bills / christmas toy drive
Cruising for Cancer- Nick Drives for cancer and is battling himself
Tom sr- for letting me keep my job and the trust of running a whole shop while going through all of this.
Ronald Mcdonald Housing- DC\Columbus
Norfolk Tides- throwing that first pitch
Norfolk Police department- last treatment cogans pizza
Norfolk Fire Department- Engine 15 in our neighborhood
Norfolk TSA for taking care of Kimber through all the flights we took to columbus.
Give kids the world- Resort for kids on wish trip to disney
The wheelchair clinic for creating such a great chair for her that saw many many miles.
Little Dog diner- kimbers favorite spot to eat as long as rob and teresa could get us out of the hospital before they closed
George - the undertaker
All of the tattooers that took the time out of their day to tattoo people to raise money for Kimber
All of the people that got tattooed for kimber
All of the people that donated money to my family over the years to keep us going.
and last but not least
The entire hemoc clinic staff at CHKD for always taking care of Kimber and for always trying to keep things positive for her even on her bad days.
From the intake at the front counter,Rebecca and Kelly - CHKDs Social workers they saved us countless times with many things, the triage nurses, the whole team of doctors, all of nurses, the pharmacy team for keeping the liquid medicine away, mandy for keeping kimbers education going through the whole battle, and everyone in-between. You are are a true blessing.
Now to talk about Kimber Amore Poindexter
She was my hero, my first born, and my motivation to change my life. Kimber left an impact on me like nobody will ever be able to do again. Despite her odds Kimber never let that slow down her sass or enjoyment of life. When the leg was unusable it was just , ok I crawl now. When we had to go to DC to get a bone replaced it was just ok when can I get some chicken and fries. When we moved into a two story house with a room downstairs she wanted the room in the sky. She didn't care about going up stairs. Kimber had more drive in her 12 years of life than anyone ive ever met. She always had her best foot forward, prolly cause she only had one good one, but none the less always pushed forward. With positivity and promise is how she led her life. She never once lived like she was going to die. Her friends meant the world to her, even though she was the short friend, everyone looked up to her. I looked up to her. I think the reason we are all here is cause we all looked up to her. Ive spent my entire 42 years on this planet trying to accomplish what Kimber did in just 12 short years. Leading with kindness, caring, and an overall passion for people. The reason you are all here isn't because you cared about Kimber. The reason you are all here is because Kimber cared about you. If you can take anything from this moment forward from her. Take her kindness, her heart, and her compassion toward this world that was so cruel to her. Look around you. Look at all the different walks of life she brought to this building. Take that with you. Lead your life with kindness. I will spend the rest of my days here on earth trying to be like her. I love you Kimber. Thank you for letting me your Dad.
