Carson City to rally behind former CHS basketball star Kimm

The No. 42 has special significance to Reno resident Daniel Kimm, who wore that number on jerseys as a youth athlete in honor of his hero, legendary Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson.

But now the jersey number of the man who broke baseball's color barrier means something a lot more.

Kimm's sister, Amy, also wore that number on her Carson High School basketball jersey, while helping the Lady Senators win three straight Nevada state titles between 1983 and 1985.

But instead of playing for Carson pride these days, Amy Kimm is now fighting for her life.

Her brother, Dan, has organized a rallying cry on her behalf.

"Fight for No. 42," he said.

Amy has been in an intensive care unit at a hospital in McKinney, Texas, Kimm said, battling a life-threatening infection since March 9.

"She's got a long, tough road ahead of her, she has been on Life Support, intubation, dialysis and been medically sedated since she was admitted to ICU," Kimm said. "She was beginning to respond to treatment for a septic Staph infection; Thank goodness it was not MRSA."

Kimm said his sister has since developed a second infection that is making her situation far more critical.

"They had to put her on four new antibiotics, which are impacting her liver and kidneys," he said. "They were going to perform a tracheotomy on March 24, but were unable to do so due to her weakened condition and physicians have continued to list her as 'critical.'"

Kimm said Amy was a stand-out center and four-year letterman for the Lady Senators in the early to mid-eighties, a star player who helped power Carson High School to a dynasty that was tops in the state.

She went on to play college basketball at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas, Kimm said, where she was one of the program's all-time leading scorers and the all-time rebounder.

Even 32 years after the Carson High Lady Senators wrapped up their third consecutive state championship, Amy remains in the hearts of many long-time Carson High School supporters.

"When I posted this on Facebook there were immediately so many well wishers were asking 'What can we do?'" Kimm said. "I thought, 'Instead of cards, why not a jersey signing? I thought it would be next to impossible with school being on Spring Break to get one."

Kimm said his sister's former teammate Amy Lewis (née Schreiner) came through for her ailing classmate.

"I was blown away when I was contacted by Amy (Lewis) and she said 'I'll talk to my sister Melissa, she is the Carson Head Coach Melissa Larsen,'" Kimm said. "I had a No. 42 jersey in my hands in less than two days. Right now, we are trying to verify if this was the actual jersey she played in."

Kimm said his sister and Lewis were close on the court, working together as "twin towers" for the Lady Senators and providing limitless flexibility and options for the offense.

With Carson High girls basketball supplying the jersey, the major detail had been covered. But Kimm said community interest in the signing event has been so strong that he thought he might need more than one jersey.

"I was beginning to think I may need an additional jersey," Kimm laughed. "In fact, I just picked up a nurse's scrub top for friends to sign as Amy was a nurse as well."

He said Amy served many years as a registered nurse, following in her mom's footsteps.

The signing mementos taken care of, Kimm also said he needed to find a venue for former teammates and community members to come and sign the jersey for Amy.

"Owners Rowan Colgan, Dan Shaheen and Lucas Vine (of the Westside Pour House) didn't even skip a beat," Kimm said. "They just offered up The Pourhouse and said 'Dan Kimm, just tell us what you need.' It was that simple, it's so Carson City. They get what community should be all about."

Kimm said the jersey signing event will take place during "Penguin Taco Tuesday," April 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. inside the Westside Pour House at 110 West Telegraph Street.

Kimm said he will be there throughout next Tuesday's signing event on Amy's behalf and representing her before the Carson City community.

"I will be there ... to meet, greet and share some stories about my sister," he said. "Many of her teammates have contacted me and will be there."

Those include Prim Walters, now a Washoe County School District principal, and possibly former CHS head coach Alana Williams, Kimm said.

Kimm said he plans to eat as many Penguin Tacos as he can Tuesday to honor his sister, Amy.

"I'm going to eat at least a dozen of those luscious and legendary Penguin Tacos too," he said. "Think I'll be able to eat 42? Join me and we will see."

Kimm said he has requested that well-wishers friend him on Facebook for more "Amy Updates" about his sister's condition. Donations will be accepted to help defray travel expenses of his multiple flights to Texas.