Help Kim McKay Recover from Colossal Leg Break

My name is Becky Fowler and I'm honored to do this GoFundMe for Kim McKay—my loyal, caring, and oh-so wise friend—in her rare time of need.

A Bit of Background

For as long as I've known Kim (almost 50 years), she’s been a woman of action (perpetual motion, really), an accomplished competitive athlete, and a bit of a superhero. As her college roommate, I was used to having our apartment to myself because she was ALWAYS on the go. Every now and then, she'd return for a good shower or to turn in a college paper ... and, of course, to share her hilarious and often inspiring stories from the mountaintops where she taught skiing.

Roles & Rescues

Over the decades since, Kim has served as an Ocean Lifeguard, Lifeguard Instructor, Professional Ski & Snowboard Instructor, Firefighter, USA Swimming Coach, Developmental Swim Instructor, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and Beach Patrol Dispatcher—mentoring others and receiving multiple accolades and awards along the way. Two commendations she is especially proud of came from the City of Ocean City, NJ.

One was in recognition of a “lifesaving ocean rescue in hurricane surf,” when, off duty and without rescue equipment, Kim saved the life of a young man caught in a rip tide. “He went under soon after I got to him,” she recalls, “but I reached into the water and found his hair, which I grasped. When he came up again, I wrapped my arm around his chest and used the other arm to swim, pulling him to land.”

The other was for the “lifesaving CPR” she and her work partner (Bill Mastro) performed on a 9-year-old swimmer taken out by a run-away skim board. “The worst feeling was carrying his little body in my arms as I ran up the beach … had to find a flat place to do CPR. He was unconscious, not breathing, and had no pulse. We did several rounds of CPR before I began feeling vibrations beneath my hands—from the water and sand in his lungs. And we had no idea whether he survived until 2 hours later,” says Kim. Thanks to their efforts, he did and, after a few weeks in the hospital, “showed up like a little miracle” in front of their lifeguard stand to thank them.

A Treasured Colleague & Human Being

Kim has dedicated her life to pursuing a path that many abandon somewhere along the line: doing what she loves most and, in the process, giving her best to the communities she serves. In the words of Bill Mastro, longtime friend and Ocean City Beach Patrol colleague, "I’ve had the honor of working alongside Kim as a lifeguard, witnessing her countless athletic achievements and lifesaving rescues. Equally important are her acts of kindness. She always places care for others as a top priority, whether for her family, friends, or beach patrons. … Kim embodies the Hall of Fame category, excelling as both a professional lifeguard and a human being.”

I've always been so proud to call Kim my friend, eagerly receiving her photos and texts from all over the country ... and the world. Her unique perspectives on life, mirrored in her stunning photography, breath a bit of extra life into all the lives connected to hers. And like so many others, I’m sure, I was just so shocked and saddened to learn what happened to her this past spring.

What Happened ...

On April 23rd, not long before ’22 lifeguard season would begin, Kim and her faithful, furry sidekick, Ziggy, were on their daily run along the Hereford Inlet beach in North Wildwood, NJ. Out of nowhere, a large unleashed pup (or “leg-snapping beast,” as Kim likes to call him) hurtled into her at full speed, breaking her leg in two places. And just like that, her summer plan to serve again on the Cape May Beach Patrol (critical to her yearly livelihood) was all washed up.

In the difficult days that followed, Kim learned the full extent of her injuries and underwent a complex surgery known as “open reduction internal fixation.” For her, this involved rebreaking and resetting her leg; rebuilding “the plateau,” which separates the knee from the tibia and fibula, with a plate and screws; and using “donated material” to fill in the many gaps and cracks. She also began to understand that a full recovery is not a guarantee—even after an estimated 18–24 months of intensive healing, physical therapy, and range-of-motion rehabilitation.

The Way Back

If you know Kim, you know she'll do whatever it takes to recover to the fullest extent possible. As Bill says, “her continued strength and perseverance while healing from her injury are truly inspirational.” But to fully focus on her recovery, she needs a little help from her friends to help cover medical and related expenses.

Please join me in supporting our dear friend Kim McKay by donating to this fund, helping her return to the life of service and action that she so loves and which benefits so many around her. (Email me for other ways to donate: [email redacted].) Any amount is very much appreciated.

Thank you so much!