Remembering Jimmy

It is with a heavy heart that I write this about my brother, Jimmy. He has been diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma and is in the fight of his life. His cancer is aggressive, already spreading to his lungs, liver, and muscle tissue, and he is already in clinical trials. 

My brother, James “Jimmy” Kluge, is a devoted husband and loving father of three boys - Josh, Jake, and Jesse. Many of you know Jimmy’s original story. A little more than 20 years ago, in November of 1997, Jimmy was injured on duty as a Tonawanda Police Officer while on a wintry car accident call up on the 290 in the Town of Tonawanda. He slipped on black ice while helping the injured and broke his back causing severe, career ending nerve damage. His days of being a cop, which he did with pride and the utmost integrity, were over way too soon for Jimmy at the young age of 33. He loved being a police officer. He loved helping others and protecting his community. Jimmy was the guy who was always there for anyone and everyone. To this day he will do anything to help others.

Yet even after this terrible injury, which caused him to be permanently disabled, he carried on and fought through the pain for his family, always being there for his boys. His only option was to have numerous back surgeries and to finally have a neurostimulator implanted in his back in 2005. This as Jimmy said, “ Made sure he was at every game, concert, and event throughout his boys lives, from grade school up through each of their Kenmore East High School graduations.” He stayed active and volunteered continuously in his boys’ lives, all the while Lynn continued to care for him and do what she loved, being a great mom and working as a full time aide for children with special needs in the Ken-Ton Schools.

During all those years Jimmy kept battling the intense pain that so many people today suffer from with back injuries and nerve damage, and kept on living the best life he could for his family and friends. Unfortunately, in 2014 he was dealt another blow, an even bigger one, and was diagnosed with his initial cancer. He went through treatment successfully at Roswell Park, had lymph nodes removed, and all looked good, or so we thought. Come to find out, the numerous medicines he was taking for the cancer and for his nerve damage started to affect his heart causing him to have a heart attack in 2016.

For those keeping score, a broken back, nerve damage, cancer, and a heart attack all before the age of 51 were not able to stop him. Once again Jimmy fought back and has lived his life to the fullest these last three years. Not for himself, but for his boys, his wife, and his entire family. Those of you who know him can easily vouch for the man that he is. Always the giver, never wanting anything in return.

Fast forward to 2019. Here we are today, July 19th, barely three weeks since finding out that his cancer has returned with a vengeance, trying to understand how such a great father, husband, human being could have all this happen to him in one lifetime. So, I am left asking you to support Jimmy and his family as they struggle to give him the best care they can give him as he battles this terrible disease. Lynn battles each day with insurance companies to get Jimmy the medication and appropriate care he needs to win this battle with cancer. Any donation, no matter how small, will go a long way to help care for him and his family down this difficult path and beyond. Please keep them in your prayers as Jimmy continues to fight.

Love, 

Mike Kluge (forever Jimmy’s little brother)