Whenever Kaitlyn “Kaity” Wilson stepped onto the lacrosse field, she was a colorful force to be reckoned with.

Blonde hair pulled high atop her head, she dominated the field like a tornado whipping through a valley. Running at full speed, she was nothing more than flashes of a rainbow, as if a painter’s palette had been swept up in her force.

Known as “the girl with the pink shoes”, bits of her vibrant personality could easily be spotted from the sidelines, popping out like the bright accessories she wore. Youthful colors decorated Kaity in a way that looked like she was a canvas for an artist who wanted to tell a beautiful story.

Kaity, who was a combination of intensity, passion and joy, lived her life the way she played lacrosse: seizing every opportunity and running with it.

Like a brilliant flame that was suddenly put out, the promising young life of this Middletown High School senior ended suddenly on Nov. 6, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Only two weeks after the accident, Kaity’s house has become a make-shift monument, filled with many collages friends have made. Traces of Kaity can still be seen throughout the house, seeming like she never left at all: a pair of her moccasins propped up against the wall as if she had just kicked them off, school assignments lying on the island. 

Kaity was a granddaughter, a daughter, a sister, a cousin, and a niece. She was part of a large loving family, including two older sisters Kinsey and Kara, a younger brother Kevin, and a brother-in-law, Deric.

Kaity’s parents, Susan and Keith, describe her as “the gift that keeps on giving.” Though the wounds are still fresh, it obviously brings them great comfort and joy to talk about their daughter, remembering all the happiness she brought them.

Even in the wake of such tragedy, her youthful, passionate personality can still be felt in the community. A trail of purple and green ribbons, Kaity’s favorite colors, can be seen along the roads leading from Jefferson to Middletown. At the football game against rivalry school Walkersville the Friday after Kaity’s accident, members of the MHS team wore hot-pink shoe laces in her honor.

A continuous stream of friends, flowers, and notes of condolence flood into the house; placed with great care on the family’s living room table sits a breath-taking bouquet of purple and green flowers, sent from Kaity’s lacrosse teammates. In fact, on nearly every surface there is al bouquet of awe-inspiring flowers, a true representation of the cherished mark Kaity has left on the Middletown community.

“She was always willing to be friends with anyone,” said senior Emily Gude who played lacrosse with Kaity.

Junior Erin Kilonsky reflected on Kaity’s unique personality when signing a banner in her honor.

“Your spontaneous, sassy, wild attitude will be remembered forever,” wrote Erin.

Even those who she didn’t know were touched by her effervescent and engaging personality.

“I didn’t really know her,” said one MHS student, “but I do know that she was one heck of an awesome person.”

Born on Feb. 22, 1991, Kaity came into this world “full of energy from day one,” said Kaity’s mother Susan.

“I was in labor with her for two days,” said Susan. “She wanted to make a big entrance.”

At the age of three, Kaity began pursuing many passions that stayed with her for the rest of her life. As she grew, it was apparent her interest in the world had been matched with an energizer-bunny mentality.

“She wanted to try everything,” said her father, Keith.

Indeed, Kaity tried many different activities, including gymnastics, dance, horseback riding, baseball, lacrosse and soccer. Even at a young age, she proved to be a gifted athlete with a feisty personality.

In elementary school she was the only girl on a very competitive U-10 boy’s soccer team.

She didn’t care about the politics, she just wanted to play.

Complete with blonde hair and painted nails, she obviously stood out from the team with which she played. However, this made little difference when she outran all the boys on the field.

Kaity also discovered another life-long love at a young age: music. She played many instruments, including the cello, flute, piccolo, bassoon, and oboe.

“She would always say, ‘I mastered this one, now I’m onto the next,’” said Susan. “I drove her to Westminster every Sunday for three years, just so she could take an hour long flute lesson. But we always had the best time during those car rides.”

Kaity, who also had a beautiful singing voice, furthered her love and knowledge of music by participating in the Frederick Children’s Chamber Singers chorus and McDaniel College summer music camps.

In order to commemorate Kaity’s gift for music, her family has established the Evangelical Lutheran Church Kaitlyn Wilson Music Fund, which will provide a means to further the musical aspect of its ministry’s worship.

As a freshman, Kaity transferred to Middletown High School from Brunswick Middle School. She told her parents it was because of the excellent academics, but Kaity had the seed for another passion already planted in her mind: field hockey.

“Five hours before the try-outs, she learned the basics, like how to dribble and hold the stick. She knew she wanted to play and she went in and dazzled them,” said Susan.

“She just always did everything in a big way.”

That tenacious personality almost always served Kaity well; that is, except in the case of broken bones. A true thrill-seeker, she and her parents spent one-too many nights in the emergency room after Kaity had injured herself some way in her latest adventure.

“She once broke her leg bareback horseback riding on the fourth of July,” said Susan. “Only Kaity would try something like that. But she had fun and that is what mattered at the end of the day.”

Kaity shared her experiences proudly, a true representation of the exhilarating life she lived.

It was through that adventure-seeking trait that Kaity discovered her love of snowboarding. She was a skilled snowboarder, enjoying not only the thrill and speed, but the majesty of the surrounding mountains and snow.

Ironically enough for such a warm and bright person, Kaity loved the cold. She loved the snow. She was totally in her element during those long days on the mountain.

One of Kaity’s closest friends, senior Heather Bowen, remembers a particular event on a snowboarding trip where Kaity proved once again that life is too short to waste precious seconds living in fear.

“There was this ramp that was really hard to ride and all these guys thought she couldn’t do it. And she just flew off it; none of them could believe a girl had done it,” said Bowen.

Not only a gifted athlete, she was a star in the classroom, as well. Blessed with an inquisitive awe of the world, she loved all aspects of learning, especially psychology and philosophy.

“I’ll never forget last summer when she and I were visiting [her sister] Kinsey, Kaity was telling us all about this book she was reading. About half way through, I looked at Kinsey and said, “Do you know what she’s talking about?” Kinsey had no idea either, and she’s an English teacher,” said Susan.

Her English teacher Becky Ayers, who taught Kaity for two years, believes that her personality reflected through her work.

“She was carefree, a freethinker with good analytical skills,” said Ayers.

 “She was so reliable; she was always willing to help others in the classroom.”

Kaity had big dreams for the future; although she applied to many colleges and universities, she hoped to attend the University of Vermont after graduating. She planned on majoring in psychology because “she was fascinated by it,” said Susan.

“She was good at everything she did,” said Emily. “School, sports, music, everything. She could do it all.”

 “We are truly touched by the impact Kaity has made on so many people,” said Susan. “She was a precious gift and that gift has come full circle now.”

Reflecting on the lessons she learned from her charismatic daughter, Susan can sum it up quite simply: “Just live your life,” she said. “Snowboard one more run, play a little longer, run one more mile. Live large, no regrets.”

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