Still Standing
Fifteen years after her son Andrew was severely injured in Afghanistan, Kathy Bottrell continued to embody the transformational growth their family found through Boulder Crest Foundation — even after a disease took her ability to speak. In her own words, she was still standing.
On Sunday, October 4, 2026, Kathy Bottrell passed away at home, surrounded by love, after a courageous fight against the progressive disease that had taken her voice — but never her spirit.
In Loving Memory of Kathy Bottrell
When Kathy got the vision for her Still Standing event, she wanted to share what struggle had taught her: that we may not get to choose the hard things that enter our lives, but we can choose how we move through them. Even after losing her ability to speak, Kathy found a way to tell her story. With the help of her son John, who used recordings of her voice and AI technology to recreate it, Kathy was able to narrate the words she had written in a voice that was unmistakably hers.
Alongside her family, Kathy stood tall. She chose growth. She chose gratitude. She chose to spend her time surrounded by the family and friends she loved so deeply. And when the disease ultimately took her life, it did not take the strength, love, and hope that defined how she lived it.
Still Standing remains her invitation to all of us: when struggle comes — and it will — we still have a choice in how we meet it.
In lieu of flowers, Kathy’s family asks that those wishing to honor her life consider making a donation to Boulder Crest Foundation or the EOD Warrior Foundation — two organizations deeply connected to the Bottrell family’s story. Donations to Boulder Crest can be made directly through the fundraising link on this page. To support the EOD Warrior Foundation, please consider donating to Team Bobcat, which is riding in honor of Kathy’s son, Andrew Bottrell, in the 2026 Rampart Ride benefiting the EOD Warrior Foundation. Through these gifts, Kathy’s legacy of choosing growth, loving deeply, and standing tall through life’s hardest moments will continue to reach others.
Andrew's Story
In this video from Boulder Crest Foundation, Andrew shares his experience serving in one of the military’s most demanding roles — where EOD technicians are tasked with identifying and neutralizing explosive threats in high-risk environments. His journey reflects the lasting impact of that work and the challenges that can follow long after service ends.
Support Team Bobcat as they ride in honor of Andrew at the 2026 Rampart Ride benefitting EOD Warrior Foundation.
Quick answers
About Boulder Crest Foundation
Boulder Crest Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of combat veterans, first responders, and their families through posttraumatic growth (PTG). PTG is the evidence-based idea that profound struggle, when met with the right support, can catalyze profound growth — not just recovery, but becoming more than you were before. BCF’s programs have served over 180k military, veterans, first responders, and their families since 2013. All programs are provided free of charge to participants thanks to the generous support from donors, volunteers, and communities.
