PO‘IPU — Dr. Jamie Zimmerman was bigger than life, said Zimmerman’s cousin, Kim Rosenfield Wednesday when she presented a $5,500 award to the Kaua‘i Lifeguards Association in remembrance of Zimmerman.
“She would be 36 years old today,” Rosenfield told a gathering of KLA and Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort &Spa officials at the Po‘ipu property.
“On Oct. 12, 2015, Dr. Zimmerman tried to cross the mouth of the Lumaha‘i River and was swept out to sea.”
A prepared statement by Zimmerman’s surviving family recounted that lifeguards and paramedics rushed to the scene, but were not able to save the 31-year-old medical doctor and reporter for ABC’s medical unit.
“This was not the first or last such tragedy,” the release states. “The effects are always far-reaching. A few months following Dr. Zimmerman’s passing, her distraught mother committed suicide.”
Dr. Monty Downs of KLA remembers the incident. He said he remembers Gina Kaulukukui of Life’s Bridges working with the family, and he kept track of the family’s well-being through Kaulukukui.
“The grief of losing a daughter must have been just too much,” Downs said. “When I found out through Gina I was devastated. I remember how much she wanted a lifeguard tower at the site. I worked on it, but it couldn’t be done.”
In Zimmerman’s memory, her family committed to help fund installation of warning signage by KLA. The accumulated funds were brought over by Rosenfield and her family on a recent Kaua‘i visit.
“Jamie’s passion and her calling was to serve,” the family statement said. “She inspired people from all walks of life, from refugees to senators to celebrities with her belief of uniting science and spirituality, to be more mindful and compassionate. She made the world a better place during her life. She loved Kaua‘i, her final social-media posting saying, ‘I found paradise!’ and she would want it to be a safer place following her death.”
Rosenfield suggested that the signage could be personalized.
“People would see who was impacted,” Rosenfield said. “Hopefully, that would make them think, ‘If this happened to that person, it could happen to me.’”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
