Meet David Kennedy, Founder & CEO of Kennedy Care!
My mom used to tell me stories of me climbing before I could even walk. I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of a risk-taker (like most entrepreneurs), and this photo of me pulling out our kitchen drawers to rattle the silverware is early proof of that.
My mother, pictured below, was unbelievably selfless and loving to me and my 8 siblings. She truly set the standard for what it meant to love your neighbor. I miss her every day and losing her was the most horrific experience of my life. Now, the work we do through Kennedy Care and our programs is an ongoing manifestation of her love, which I hope will continue on even after I’m gone. It’s my way of sharing her selfless love and care with others, just like she shared with me.
Outside of my passion for caregiving, I was a history major in undergrad and still love history to this day. This is a historic picture of my current home from the early 1900s. I love diving into any local community and learning the intricacies of the history in that specific place and the stories that are (almost) forgotten. It creates in me feelings of reverence, sadness for the days gone by, and appreciation for the work these people did before our time to allow us to enjoy the communities we have today. As a boy I wanted to be a paleontologist or an archeologist, which at the time I didn’t realize was the result of my emotional connection to the past and desire to understand it.
I have so many reasons to be thankful for this life, but these humans are what I’m thankful for the most. This is my crew that I love, protect, and desire to serve every day.
My wife Jacquelynn and I got married in the church next door to our house in Kerrytown in April 2015. I waited 30 years to meet my wife and she was more than worth the wait. She is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
This is the day after my first son Ryder was born in December 2016. He’s now six years old and although I have a 14 year old daughter Arianna, Ryder was my first child. Watching him be born and holding him were some of the best moments of my life and I’m so lucky to have gone through the same surreal experience with our son Dash (3) and Svea (6 months).
This is Ryder and Svea earlier this year. A fun fact about them is that they were coincidentally born the same day 6 years apart and they were 14 minutes from being born at the exact same time. I love them both so much.
This is Dash and I standing in front of our new ABA Therapy center named Dashi Rivers, after him. This was his first time seeing the facility and I’m so proud of our team for creating a space to support the development of children with autism and their families. I can’t thank my team enough for making this dream a reality.
When I’m not working or with my family, I love to golf. Most golfers have a borderline unhealthy obsession with the sport and I’m no exception. By nature I’m a very competitive person, but mostly just with myself. I want to improve all aspects of my life as much as I can – this includes my golf game. It’s such a frustrating sport that requires small, incremental improvements and hard work, so it very much fits my personality. Plus, it gives me a reason to get outside during the warm months, travel with friends, and appreciate the natural world all while challenging myself 🙂
David, thank you so much for sharing your story, and for allowing everyone on the KC team to be a part of your story now. We would not be here without your passion for caregiving bringing us all together!
