Women’s History Month 2025: Kaylyn Gabbert

No. I haven’t forgotten International Women’s History Month. 

I know that usually you’re accustomed to seeing my interviews with amazing women throughout the month of March. I asked two women and both of them are unavailable, and where usually I do go seek other women, something big happened to me in December. In December, I lost my husband, Richard. Due to that we’re going to do this a little differently. 

We are going to feature me without the questions. Not only how I’m coping, but I want to share what kind of woman I’ve always been, and who I will become through this trial. It was suggested to me that during this time I should remember all of my accomplishments. I’ll also mention one of the women I wish to interview next month if possible, and worst comes to worst, next year.

I’ve always been a woman who can handle any challenge. I was always outspoken and protective of those I loved. I was always smiling. As I grew into a teen and young adult the only thing I temporarily lost was my smile. It wasn’t until I was twenty that I learned I was living in survival mode. When I was told that I realized I had been living in survival mode from the ages of thirteen to twenty. 

Since it was suggested to me that during this time I should remember all of my accomplishments here are the ones prior to New York: 

1. Standing up for myself and my siblings at a young age 

2. I found a hobby and passion for life at a young age

3. I never lost my fierce spirit

4. Knowing when I had to (for safety reasons) move to my dad’s

5. Treating a few animals better than their owners 

6. Found the best place for me to volunteer for high school credits

7. Graduated from high school

8. Going to community college for a semester 

9. Took a solo vacation to my favorite place in the whole world: Redmond/Kirkland, WA (where I spent my teen years)

10. Survived not finding my dad’s headstone (Since I was on the curb when he was being buried due to the uncomfortability of watching that part, but finding the empty spot where his headstone should have been was tough.)

11. Stopped myself from committing suicide and got the proper help

12. Published my first book

13. Moved in with relatives that kept me in a catch-22 but kept a brave face

14. Moved all the stuff out a guest room that was used as a storage room and made a room out of it 

15. Decided to go into volunteering for the community

16. Got my boyfriend to start helping me dye my hair

17. Moved across country to New York all by myself 

Accomplishments after moving to New York since it was easily the best thing for me:

1. I found my confidence

2. I found my family 

3. My genuine smile came back

4. My boyfriend took me to my first ComicCon where I easily got addicted to going to them

5. I got engaged

6. I went to college for the degree of my choosing 

7. I started an amazing project I’m still doing all the time called my Inspiration Dossier:

1. originally it was only four subjects 

2. now it’s over twenty

3. my favorite subjects are:

1. Best Memories (this is with people in my life and basically updated monthly)

2. Villains I Admire 

3. Authors I Admire (involves people I know)

4. People I Admire (involves people I know) 

8. I published my second book

9. My fiance and I got a place of our own

10. I graduated from Full Sail University with my Bachelor’s in Creative Writing for Entertainment

11. Created my own website for all my writing 

12. My fiance and I tried helping a friend out like our parents taught us to do

13. Richard (fiance name) and I went to went to a gala (I’ve always wanted to go to a fancy dance with my husband)

14. I mentored students in one of of my favorite classes 

15. I attended a book launch of an author I know and I invited guests 

16. We opened our house to Mom and our niece for a month when their building’s elevator was down:

1. I got to help my niece with her homework 

2. I got to help her with her preconceived notions about what would happen if my fiance and I had a kid (more about how there’s no guarantee any kid from us would have leg strength issues like my niece and me)

3. I got my niece into reading 

17. My husband and I had a small, intimate ceremony for our wedding

1. I planned the wedding in two weeks

1. This included making two six feet handfasting ribbons to represent Richard and me 

2. The night before the wedding for a therapy assignment I had to see my stress level, and I was ready for anything

3. Day of the wedding, there were obstacles that I handled like a chance 

18. I stood up for my family 

19. I started a gratefulness jar:

1. The original deal was put one thing once a week that you’re grateful in the jar and empty it once a year, but as a naturally grateful person I have lists I put in weekly

2. My jar is a Dragon Egg cookie jar

3. Every year I empty them into a gift bag or box to make scrapbooks

20. My husband and I got our home back 

21. I used the interview skills my dad taught me to highlight amazing women for International Women’s Month for years

22. I had finally lived somewhere for ten years, and yes I celebrated as I should have

23. I made myself another family, this one by bond

24. Richard helped inspire a book idea 

The deal is I feel like I didn’t have to lose him. I’m mad he was taken from me slowly and painfully, let down by so many medical staff, and that we didn’t get our fifteen years together. That would have been 4/21/27. That was our biggest goal. But I do have a good support system:

1. Iggy (My husband and my cat)

1. It took him forever to admit Iggy was his too. *laughs* Even though he knew I’d more than want to foster Iggy the moment he got asked by his youngest sister if we could foster him and ran it by me. It’s almost like he knew my script before I did. 

2. Marshall (youngest brother who stays with me)

3. Our family 

4. My family (by bond) 

5. My family Richard inspired a story for my mental health as well as our goofiness (Starter [redacted])

1. I text them daily

I also:

1. Read (multiple books at a time because I like it and it helps a medical condition of mine)

2. Music (collecting playlists, singing/ lip syncing, dancing, making playlists) 

3. Writing (mostly multiple books at a time for the same reasons I can and will read multiple books)

4. Creating jewelry

5. Burning incense 

6. Hanging out with family and friends (in person, by phone, or by video chat)

Getting tattoos also helps. I’m aiming to get four, but I got two so far, by my sister Binky, a great tattoo artist. She would have been one of the people I would have interviewed for the month. She gave me the Kingdom Hearts’ Nobody tattoo that was my husband’s first tattoo. I had it placed by my Space Needle tattoo for symbolic reasons. And under the roots of my the words that protect my mental health, ‘Take Me Home, Bless My Soul’ in my own handwriting. 

I would have interviewed Binky, but she’s been very busy tattooing many clients all over the place. I hope she comes back soon. Yeah, for an interview, but I also have two other tattoos I want done by her.