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Kimberly Cates
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We, the
comrades of Unit 1012: The VFFDP, will always remember Kimberly Cates who died
on this date, October 4, 2009. We care for all victims, regardless of race and
country. We offer our utmost sympathy and condolences to the loved ones of
Denise. We will remember how she lived on this earth and not how she
died. We encourage all to donate money to the Kimberly Cates
Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Please go
to this previous blog post to learn more about the case.
To
remember how she lived on this earth and show support for the family, we will
present two articles from David Cates, her husband:
INTERNET
SOURCE: http://www.wmur.com/news/nearly-5-years-later-cates-family-reflects-on-how-far-theyve-come/27941596
Nearly 5 years
later, Cates family reflects on how far they've come
Scholarship
in mother's honor helps students
UPDATED 6:32
PM EDT Sep 08, 2014
MONT
VERNON, N.H. —Nearly five years ago, Kimberly Cates and her daughter were
sleeping in their Mont Vernon home when four men broke in, attacking them with
knives and a machete.
Kim Cates
died, and her daughter, Jaimie Cates, survived.
Jaimie and
her father, Dave Cates, spoke with News 9's Amy Coveno about what life is like
now.
Jaimie
Cates is now a junior at Souhegan High School. On a recent day at Amherst
Country Club, she seemed happy and relaxed as she talked about looking forward
to prom this year.
She was 11
when she and her mother were attacked on Oct. 4, 2009. She and her father still
live in their home on Trow Road.
"I think we're doing fine," Dave Cates
said. "You know, she busts my chops a lot. I
bust hers. We're doing fine."
"I have my license," Jaimie Cates said. "I play field hockey currently. I'm going to be
doing lacrosse in the spring, along with GSE, which is another league I do in
the winter. Not sure if I'm going to be doing ice hockey."
On Oct. 3,
the annual Kim Cates Scholarship Golf Tourney will tee off at the Amherst
Country Club. The tournament, now in its fourth year, shifts the focus back to
Kimberly Cates and her growing legacy through the scholarship fund.
"We've done well so far," Dave Cates
said. "With the help of the community, we've
been able to raise over $200,000 so far, which is really big over close to four
years."
Funds
raised at the scramble-style tourney determine how many scholarships are made
available. This year, 25 students are being supported. Many send thank-you
letters with updates from college.
"As
much as they don't know Kim and have never met her, it's nice being able to
continue the compassion and carrying on the legacy," said Sharon Soucy,
co-founder of the Kim Cates Scholarship Foundation.
Dave and
Jaimie Cates have a dog now, a king shepherd named Dutch -- 115 pounds of
highly trained protection. The pair said they are a family surrounded by a
tight network of friends, continuing to live life five years on from tragedy.
INTERNET
SOURCE: http://www.wmur.com/news/full-letter-from-david-cates-to-news-9s-amy-coveno/28375588
Full letter from David Cates to News 9's Amy Coveno
UPDATED 11:00 PM EDT Oct 02, 2014
MANCHESTER, N.H. — The following is the full letter written by David Cates to News 9 reporter/anchor Amy Coveno. David Cates is the father of Jaimie Cates, who survived a 2009 attack at her Mont Vernon home.
Kim
Kim was full of energy, excitement, and life. Her
incredible smile was so inviting to all; it welcomed you. You wanted to be with
her, be part of her. She gave so much to everyone she met. You just couldn’t
help but smile back or give her a big hug.
Kim was a mother. Kim and Jaimie were incredible together. It was more than the usual mother daughter bond. They were like one. Kim was a warm, affectionate mom who really enjoyed spending time with her daughter. Kim and Jaimie’s love will last forever.
She was a wife, a loving daughter, a sister, an
aunt, a niece and a great friend. Kim and her incredible beauty will FOREVER
remain in our hearts and her spirit will always live on in each one of us who
were so blessed to have shared in her life; for Kim was about life and living.
Jaimie
Now I would like to write to you about what an
amazing girl Jaimie is. While she “busts my chops” constantly; she tolerates
(and sometimes even understands) my buffoonery. Jaimie is a junior at Souhegan
High School and is a solid A/B student. She plays high school and Granite State
Elite club lacrosse. She has also played Field Hockey since she was in 7th
grade. While her injuries still bother her on occasion and sometimes limit what
she can do physically, she is in great shape and doesn’t let those injuries
stop her from playing the sports she loves. Jaimie also just recently got her
driver’s license; so apropos of nothing whatsoever, defensive driving courses
are always well worth the money (he says tongue in cheek).
Family
Jaimie and I will forever miss Kim, but we still
have each other and we still have family. The shape and dynamics of that family
are just different. Jaimie still has mother figures in her life; I still have
very close confidants. The members of our family, while not all connected by
blood, have a very special emotional bond with us. Our family is also made up
of people from our town, the surrounding community, work, and the school
system. They all play critical roles in allowing Jaimie and I to continue to
heal as well as feel loved by a family unit. Our family will survive this
tragedy and strive again.
As devastating as this tragedy was it has made our
families and communities stronger. In response to the question, “So how is Mont
Vernon doing?” a friend wrote:
The simple answer is “We’re doing just fine,
thanks.” And we are. We all get up every day and take care of our kids, go to
work, pay the bills, deal with our share of the struggles of daily existence
because life, as cold as it may sound, goes on. ”
This tragedy has pulled our small, close knit
community that much closer. We now know that, together, we can survive the most
difficult of circumstances.
Me
The first couple of years were extremely rough. My
life changed in a blink of an eye. Being a single Dad of a teenage daughter
also has its many challenges. But I’m not the only single Dad out there. We all
figure it out. Ultimately you realize you can’t “cry in your beer” every day
and choose to get on with your life. “Fate without hope is very, very sad”……I
found hope in Jaimie, family, friends and in this scholarship. I also found
hope in a special lady that makes me very happy. We have been in a committed
relationship for a couple of years now, and while blending two families
together is certainly a challenge. We are committed to each other to make it
work; long term, through all of life’s ups and downs.
--
The Kimberly Cates Golf Tournament tees off Friday at the
Amherst Country Club. Organizers have room for five more foursomes. Proceeds go
to the Scholarship Fund in Kim’s name.
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