In Loving Memory of Kevin Burnett
Donation protected
On Saturday, February 27th, Kevin Burnett earned his wings at the age of 68 after his most recent battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Kevin was born June 6, 1952 in Rockville, New York and ventured to Santa Cruz right after graduating high school where he turned his passion for classic cars into a long career running his own auto restoration company.
Restoring cars back to their glory is an art and Kevin was a Picasso of it. Kevin was also a devoted husband and father. He met Julie Biondi and after three years of dating they were married and recently celebrated 33 years of marriage. Kevin did something nobody expected and he closed his one-man-shop with the news of their first born, Alexander, by taking his talents to a large reputable dealership to advance his career and bring stability to their growing household which soon included Carolyn.
Kevin was a kid at heart. He loved Holiday traditions and celebrations—all of them! He spared no expense when it came to decorations, especially Halloween. For Kevin, it was keeping the memories of the past alive and helping to share them with the next generations—his kids. It’s no wonder the Christmas tree didn’t always come down when it should. It wasn’t just the decorating that Kevin valued, it was also the cooking. He was a master chef in so many ways. There are so many family favorites that just thinking about them makes our mouths water, so we shall do our best and ask for his guidance when we keep the traditions rolling forward in his honor.
Loving and supporting his kids was always on the top of his list. He was no stranger to the bleachers, sidelines, and audience watching his kids play basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, dance recitals, and school performances. He was their cheerleader and proud Papa. When it came to school art projects and science fairs, Kevin always stepped up to the plate. To say, “He was a kid at heart”, is an understatement!
One thing Kevin wanted most was for his kids to have a college education, something he and his wife didn't have the opportunity to do. Alexander is studying at California State Long Beach and Carolyn is in her first year at University of California, Irvine. The expenses have been tough on his devoted wife, Julie, who has been the only working person in their household for the past 11 years as Kevin was unable to return to work. Julie had to try and compensate for the cost of medical bills by using all of their savings and even selling her work vacation time to keep their family afloat. Paying for the families expenses on a sole paycheck on top of Kevin's medical bills and the loss of his life insurance has led the Burnett family to be in extreme need.
Kevin's medical journey started in 2010 when he developed viral pneumonia that went undetected and therefore was misdiagnosed. Many complications over the years led to various medical problems such as an infection that lead to septic shock and an abscess in his right leg. Over the years, and many infections later, the abscess in his leg developed into a greater problem where the only option for his life was to amputate his right leg. Kevin used his humor as his coping mechanism even during tough times and he wouldn’t let anyone feel sorry for him, even Einstein, his loyal furry friend.
Kevin and his family thought the worst was over. He got a prosthetic leg and was able to enjoy the simple things in life again like walking the dog or dancing at James Durbin concerts on the beach. However, the previous infections left vegetation on his aortic valve, resulting in open heart surgery. Kevin had been strong throughout his whole medical journey and had always bounced back and kept a smile on his face. His latest condition, pulmonary fibrosis, started about a year ago which was relentless and required he be on oxygen 24/7. Kevin fought hard, made his peace, and did a final act of gratitude and kindness by becoming a donor to help others suffering and in need.
Kevin and Julie planned for their family including life insurance policies and savings for the unexpected. Unfortunately, there was an oversight on Kevin’s policy in which only Julie was covered until age 99. When they discovered Kevin’s policy had expired they were unable to renew coverage due to his poor health.
As difficult as it is to ask for financial help during these difficult times, we thank you for your consideration and any amount will make a difference to help this family regain their stability. All funds will go directly to Kevin's medical bills and greatly benefit the financial needs of his children, ensuring Kevin's dream of them finishing college. Thank you for keeping the Burnett family in your thoughts and prayers.
Restoring cars back to their glory is an art and Kevin was a Picasso of it. Kevin was also a devoted husband and father. He met Julie Biondi and after three years of dating they were married and recently celebrated 33 years of marriage. Kevin did something nobody expected and he closed his one-man-shop with the news of their first born, Alexander, by taking his talents to a large reputable dealership to advance his career and bring stability to their growing household which soon included Carolyn.
Kevin was a kid at heart. He loved Holiday traditions and celebrations—all of them! He spared no expense when it came to decorations, especially Halloween. For Kevin, it was keeping the memories of the past alive and helping to share them with the next generations—his kids. It’s no wonder the Christmas tree didn’t always come down when it should. It wasn’t just the decorating that Kevin valued, it was also the cooking. He was a master chef in so many ways. There are so many family favorites that just thinking about them makes our mouths water, so we shall do our best and ask for his guidance when we keep the traditions rolling forward in his honor.
Loving and supporting his kids was always on the top of his list. He was no stranger to the bleachers, sidelines, and audience watching his kids play basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, dance recitals, and school performances. He was their cheerleader and proud Papa. When it came to school art projects and science fairs, Kevin always stepped up to the plate. To say, “He was a kid at heart”, is an understatement!
One thing Kevin wanted most was for his kids to have a college education, something he and his wife didn't have the opportunity to do. Alexander is studying at California State Long Beach and Carolyn is in her first year at University of California, Irvine. The expenses have been tough on his devoted wife, Julie, who has been the only working person in their household for the past 11 years as Kevin was unable to return to work. Julie had to try and compensate for the cost of medical bills by using all of their savings and even selling her work vacation time to keep their family afloat. Paying for the families expenses on a sole paycheck on top of Kevin's medical bills and the loss of his life insurance has led the Burnett family to be in extreme need.
Kevin's medical journey started in 2010 when he developed viral pneumonia that went undetected and therefore was misdiagnosed. Many complications over the years led to various medical problems such as an infection that lead to septic shock and an abscess in his right leg. Over the years, and many infections later, the abscess in his leg developed into a greater problem where the only option for his life was to amputate his right leg. Kevin used his humor as his coping mechanism even during tough times and he wouldn’t let anyone feel sorry for him, even Einstein, his loyal furry friend.
Kevin and his family thought the worst was over. He got a prosthetic leg and was able to enjoy the simple things in life again like walking the dog or dancing at James Durbin concerts on the beach. However, the previous infections left vegetation on his aortic valve, resulting in open heart surgery. Kevin had been strong throughout his whole medical journey and had always bounced back and kept a smile on his face. His latest condition, pulmonary fibrosis, started about a year ago which was relentless and required he be on oxygen 24/7. Kevin fought hard, made his peace, and did a final act of gratitude and kindness by becoming a donor to help others suffering and in need.
Kevin and Julie planned for their family including life insurance policies and savings for the unexpected. Unfortunately, there was an oversight on Kevin’s policy in which only Julie was covered until age 99. When they discovered Kevin’s policy had expired they were unable to renew coverage due to his poor health.
As difficult as it is to ask for financial help during these difficult times, we thank you for your consideration and any amount will make a difference to help this family regain their stability. All funds will go directly to Kevin's medical bills and greatly benefit the financial needs of his children, ensuring Kevin's dream of them finishing college. Thank you for keeping the Burnett family in your thoughts and prayers.
Fundraising team (3)
Carolyn Burnett
Organizer
Scotts Valley, CA
Julie Burnett
Beneficiary
Jeffrey Biondi
Team member
Jennifer Biondi
Team member