By now, we're all aware that Kim Howe lost her life in the tragic accident involving Bruce Jenner on February 7. We've all seen pictures of the accident, we've heard all the details surrounding the incident and we're aware that her life was cut short on that fateful day. So, we know all about how Kim Howe died, but let's talk more about how she lived...Kim was 69 years old when she passed away and we think we owe her the respect of learning the good things she did, so she can be remembered for the kind, charitable woman she was and not just for what happened on that one day.
So, who was Kim Howe? We did some research and from what we found, she seemed to be a caring, compassionate woman who had sadly been struck by tragedy even before the fatal car accident.
In 2003, Kim and her husband, Robert, bought a house in the posh Calabasas neighborhood where Khloe Kardashian currently resides. Sadly, two days after they closed escrow on the house, Kim's husband collapsed and died of a heart attack.
"Right from the very beginning, her life was kind of a sad situation after that point. Because after she closed escrow, two days later, her husband passed away unexpectedly. She's a very stoic lady," a friend told ABC 7.
"She was just a very sweet lady. She was an animal activist. She loved dogs and was very socially active with that," the same friend told the New York Daily News. "She was a very giving lady, very charitable. She and her husband didn't have any kids, so she put all her energy into that. Her husband left her very comfortable."
Kim's charity work seems to have been a big part of her life. She was involved with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and was especially interested in working toward ending experimentation on animals.
"I have been interested in animal issues since I was a child," she says in a quote on the organization's website. "My mother taught me how important it was to be kind to them. Most people think of animals as things to be used and thrown away. They do not stop to think that they have feelings and that we do not have the right to inflict pain on them and abuse them."
One of the doctors she worked with at the organization posted this touching tribute to a woman he remembers as a "compassionate person and a dear friend." You can read his entire message by clicking the link in the post below.
Kim had a dog of her own, a rescue named Daisy, who she is pictured with below:
If you would like to make a memorial donation to the group in honor of Kim, visit this page for more information.