Kevin Wasmund

That family includes his mother and father, Kenneth and Nancy Wasmund, sister Suzanne Smith and husband Mark Smith, brother Ken Wasmund and wife Jaylyne Wasmund, along with nieces Courtney Hamrac and husband Ryan Hamrac, Lauren Wasmund, Kathryn Smith, nephew Austin Wasmund, great nephew Wells Hamrac and great niece Charlotte Hamrac.

Kevin’s story is one of resilience. He was born in Dunkirk, New York on May 4, 1971. Soon after his birth, Kevin was diagnosed with a rare form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a progressive, genetic neuromuscular disease. Doctors predicted that Kevin’s life expectancy would be 3 years or less. Yet, he defied all odds. While Kevin used a wheelchair, it never stopped him from having a normal childhood that included mischievous journeys down to the edge of Lake Erie with his cousins, baseball games with friends and nights camping in the backyard with his siblings. Kevin had a love for his RC club where he raced RC cars and model planes, and also attended many NASCAR and NHRA Drag Races. He was simply fearless.

After graduating from Dunkirk High School in 1989, Kevin attended Stony Brook University and University of Alabama at Birmingham where he studied as a visual artist. He was a natural artist, winning several awards at various art shows in Alabama. The vibrant paintings and sketches still hang in each room of his home and on the nursery walls of his great niece and nephew. He continued his career in art into website design and ran his own online business designing and managing the websites of several small businesses. As of late, he built and ran the “Friends of Hwy 280” Facebook page in Birmingham, Alabama which has over 20,000 followers.

Kevin was the central point of everyone’s life. With the sharpest of minds, he rarely missed a thing and he could take part in any conversation. You may think that he needed to be taken care of, but he was the one taking care of everyone else. He ordered every grocery, planned every meal, bought multiple vehicles and knew what you needed before you did. And what was at the center of Kevin’s world? His family. Kevin was a proud son, brother, uncle and great-uncle. He spent many hot summer days building forts in the garage, shopping at the Riverchase Galleria with his three nieces and nephew to ensure everyone had new outfits for school and teaching them all how to paint flowers on a canvas.

Kevin never asked for an ounce of praise or pity. He was a true blessing to all he met, including to his little dog Bella. He brought magic to the world around him and he will be deeply missed.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents Marvin and Virginia Ann Wasmund, grandparents Edith and Tracy Tobey, great niece Grace Hamrac and several aunts and uncles.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Cure SMA (curesma.org) organization in Kevin Wasmund’s honor.