Overview:​

I am running the TCS New York City Marathon in memory of my sister, Kimberly Anne Nix who sadly passed away on October 31, 2023. The 2024 New York City Marathon falls on November 3, 2024 - just days after the one-year anniversary of her passing.

To honor Kim's memory, I am running as part of the Boston Children's Hospital Miles for Miracles Team, which raises money for children in need of lifesaving care at Boston Children's Hospital. 

As many of you may know (and as further detailed below) Kim was a patient at Boston Children's Hospital where she received extensive, life-saving care throughout her childhood. Kim - before getting sick in 2018 - worked at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and was filled with a sense of joy as she was able to relate to, and comfort, the many families and, more specifically children, who were going through so many trials.  I can't think of a better way to honor Kim's memory than to give back to the facility that assisted her.

Will you help me reach my fundraising goal with a donation today?

About Kim:

Words aren’t truly adequate to convey the beautiful complexities of my sister’s life. And yet, I’m going to give it my best effort.

Over the span of her entire life, Kim faced a number of health challenges that tested her strength and her resilience. In 1986, at the age of 4, Kim had her first spinal surgery at Boston’s Children’s Hospital. Kim was born with, what the doctors called, an “unsegmented bar” – one of the rarest and most dangerous forms of scoliosis. In essence, one side of Kim’s vertebrae never separated and there was, as a result, no growth potential on that side of her spine. Thus, as Kim aged and only one side of her spine grew, she began to dramatically curve. 

Over the next several years, my parents took Kim back and forth from Mississippi to Boston Children’s Hospital for, what would end up being, nearly ten major back operations. Each time, Kim’s spine was stretched and then braced into place. While this helped mitigate some of the curving, there were already bodily ramifications that needed addressing. For example, the curving of Kim’s back caused her hips to become unlevel. And so, between the ages of 8 and 10, Kim had additional surgeries to break and properly re-rotate both of her legs.

Through all of this, though, Kim was a force to be reckoned with. Kim was courageous, resilient, determined, and had a desire to live life to the fullest. These qualities defined her, and they were the armor she wore in the face of adversity. Kim wasn't just a survivor; she was a warrior, facing each trial head-on with an indomitable spirit. And with that, she didn’t let anything stand in her way.

Despite having to relearn to walk after her leg operations, Kim enrolled in dance with many of her school friends and, at least based on the video tapes I’ve seen, stole the spotlight in each of her dance recitals. Kim also regularly took part in many children’s musicals at church and spent each summer at Young Musician Camps at Gulfshore Baptist Assembly. In middle school, Kim began playing the flute and, a couple of years later, was chosen to be the Drum Major of the band. Each Friday, Kim would eagerly dress up in her sparkly uniform, scale the conductor stand that stood well over double her height, and direct the entire school band like a professional, all while grinning from ear to ear. As a high school
student, Kim auditioned and was chosen for the Mississippi Baptist All-State Youth Choir under the direction of Dr. Richard Joiner. And again, Kim – despite having a rocky start to life – thrived. After all, music ran through her veins. 

As you can tell, Kim was a natural born performer. She wouldn’t hesitate to regularly, whether they liked it or not, stop my mom, dad, and whoever else was in the room so that she could perform her latest musical theater number. After all, she LOVED New York City and it was her dream to visit Broadway. 

In late 2018, Kim became sick with double pneumonia and carbon dioxide poisoning. The sickness she experienced damaged her lungs, which were already compromised due to her previous spinal fusion surgeries not leaving much space for her lungs to function as they should. After this, Kim was never able to get a big deep breath as many of us can and so, she relied on her trusty oxygen tanks and a non-invasive ventilator to breath. And sure, while Kim had difficult days in years since that incident, Kim kept going and never gave up. She would drag her oxygen tanks around with her everywhere she went, saying “I’m not going down without a fight.”

In her later years, you could often find Kim snapping pictures of her trusty cat companion Willow; giving my dad feedback on his newest musical recordings; talking with her closest guy friend Beau; facetiming my mom twenty times a day to talk about anything and everything; or in her kitchen cooking. Kim loved
to cook and would regularly send Noula and myself pictures of all the crazy food creations she would make after watching Iron Chef Bobby Flay, her favorite, on the Food Network.

In other words, despite the difficult battles she fought, Kim's heart remained kind, loving, patient, nurturing, funny, selfless, and joyful. She embraced life wholeheartedly, finding joy in the simple pleasures and spreading that joy to those around her. She lived life with a smile. 

Many of you who are reading this have experienced, firsthand, the warmth and love that radiated from her. As her brother and closest confidant, I had the privilege of sharing a bond with Kim that was both unique and irreplaceable. With a ten-year age gap, she became not just a sister but a second mom, a protector, defender, advocate, and my biggest fan. Kim's pride in me was a reflection of her own strength, resilience, and love.

It always surprised me that despite everything Kim went through, Kim’s faith in God was unwavering. She was a living testament to the power of trusting in God's sovereign plan, even in the midst of life's valleys and hardships. And as I’ve said before, Kim always told me - time and time again - that she knew she was put here on Earth for a specific purpose. She trusted that God had a reason for her to go through what she physically and emotionally went through. But, Kim had, and will continue to have, a very special story – one that is so incredibly impactful. 

Ultimately, in her laughter, smile, beauty, singing, and companionship, Kim left an enduring mark on our lives. Her absence leaves a void that many feel profoundly. And it's easy, in times like this, to feel as though we are remembering a life lost. But in reality, we are celebrating a life lived. So, amidst the pain, I find solace in the knowledge that Kim is no longer bound by the limitations of this earthly existence. She is free from pain, free to sing at the top of her lungs. This is just a temporary goodbye until we meet again.

Thank you for assisting me in honoring Kim’s beautiful life and, what I believe was, a race well run.

Information About Donations - Where Do They Go?

Every dollar I raise funds breakthrough research, family support services, and vital care not covered by insurance through the hospital’s Every Child Fund. Your gift will:

• give children battling the most complex diseases treatments they can’t find anywhere else;
• help children in your town and across the world get a second chance;
• fuel 3,000+ researchers working to find cures;
• help patient-families in crisis with urgent needs, including housing, food and clothing;
• bring crucial care to families through outpatient psychiatry clinics;
• and so much more.

 Please support my fundraising—and help the children and families at Boston Children’s and beyond.