Kagney's Memorial

Hi, our names are Rachel and Megan, and we are the owners of two fitness studios in the Northeast Ohio area: Ecole de Pole Cleveland and Ecole de Pole Akron.

We are fundraising on behalf of Tina, Kagney's mom, for the cost of Kagney's memorial and all financial expectations associated with it.

Although a small blurb on GoFundMe will never be enough to share the brightness of Kagney's soul, we will try our best.

Kagney was a woman who wore many hats; she was a performer, a singer, a dancer, a daughter and a friend. She first came to our Cleveland studio in November of 2019, freshly moved out of LA, rearing and ready to jump back in to pole, in a brand new community where she knew no one and no one knew her. She wasn't intimidated or anxious. The fact that she was the new kid on the block didn't bother her in the least. She immediately warmed to the studio and all the students with an effortless grace, and it soon felt as if she had always been apart of the studio, from the very beginning.

And jump back in she did. She spent so much time at the studio, sometimes taking five or six classes per week, and threw herself into her training. Her dedication to her own progress was inspiring. She rocketed up the levels quickly, until she hit advanced, and both Rachel and I had the pleasure of teaching her as one of our own advanced students for years. Her passion for pole and movement made us feel even more blessed for the honor to instruct her. Watching Kagney flourish in an environment that made her feel confident and happy was a true joy.

Kagney finally decided she wanted to spread her wings and challenge herself even more, choosing to move to the Akron area and begin a studio of her own. This idea seed sprouted into reality when Alchemy Pole Fitness was born, the first pole studio in Akron and a safe space for so many students, friends, and loved ones. Another couple hats added: now she was a small business owner, an instructor, and an integral part of our Ohio pole community.

Business ownership is no easy task, but Kagney never shied away from the challenge. Her students and staff remember her incredibly fondly, both as an intelligent and intuitive instructor and as an owner who did all she could to build a little community of her own, something of which she could be proud, somewhere she could feel safe and wanted. The best version of herself.

Unfortunately, despite all of her many impressive accomplishments and talents, Kagney struggled with mental health issues as the years passed by. Even in her darkest days, however, she still showed up to the studio, always ready to learn, contribute, better herself in whatever small way she could manage. As alone as she undoubtedly felt within the confines of her own head, she continued to make an effort to show up for her friends and the community who cared about her. She fought her own battles with the same tenacity and drive she showed in every other area of her life, with as much strength as she could.

Her final class with us was February 7th, less than two weeks before Kagney tragically took her own life in her home.

The news sank like a stone in our hearts. The horrible reality of a studio without Kagney- a community without her- seemed all wrong. Unnatural. Too difficult to accept.

Because more than her beauty, her lovely dancing, her singing, her dazzling performances, her business savvy and instructor certifications and loyal fanbase... Kagney was kind. Kagney was generous. As cold as the world could be, Kagney brought with her a light. On her good days, when she was most herself, she could warm up a room with her radiant smile, get others laughing in no time at all. She was all brightness and bubble, with never a cross word to say about another. She forgave easily, gave second chances, saw the value in the small details. We saw her revel in the happiness of animals, glow as she sang to her Instagram audience, shared in her elation when nailing a new pole trick.

In short, we were firsthand witnesses to Kagney's spirit. And as much as we have all cried for her, we know she would have cried for us tenfold. That was just who Kagney was. She loved deeply. And, because of that, she will be missed just as deeply.

We humbly ask that you assist us raise funds for her mother, Tina, to lay Kagney to rest. 100% of these funds will be going to preparations for her memorial services. Any leftover funds will be given to a local animal rescue charity, as Kagney had a pure adoration for all of God's creatures.

And, although no amount of money can ease the grief, if it can even assuage a small amount of stress on Kagney's mother and immediate family, that is a victory.