REMEMBERING A
NATIONAL TREASURE
F
ifteen years have passed since Capt. Kimberly Hampton ’98 was killed in Fallujah, Iraq, defending her country. Still, she remains in the hearts and minds of those close to the ROTC program and beyond. Last year, NASCAR honored Hampton when Kyle Larson’s car carried her name during the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend. The U.S. Department of Defense honored Hampton by naming its new school at Fort Bragg, N.C., Kimberly Hampton Primary School. Approximately 800 kindergarten and first-grade students attend the school. And during the ROTC Commissioning Ceremony each year, a junior Highlander Battalion cadet who personifies hard work, courage, leadership and honor to school and country is presented with the Kimberly Hampton Leadership Award. Hampton’s life continues to serve as an inspiration for all that she accomplished as a student, student-athlete, ROTC cadet and captain in the U.S. Army. A few of those who knew Hampton share their thoughts on the national treasure who remains in our hearts and minds.
THE STUDENT “Kimberly took my American Renaissance class during her last semester here at PC, and it took all of one class period for me to tall in love with her smile. Hers was a smile that hugged people; it was the smile of someone filled with joie de vivre. We clicked right away, and I loved teasing her about being so perfect. After reading about her acing another tennis match, after handing her back yet another ‘A’ paper, I’d say, ‘You’re getting to be monotonous, Kim!’ And that beautiful smile would light up the room. “She was more Renaissance than Shakespeare. She’d come to class one day wearing her Fellowship of Christian Athletes shirt; come in the next day carrying her tennis racquet and
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guzzling from her squirt bottle to cool down from practice; and show up the next day in her Army fatigues, combat boots shining. I’d say, ‘What’s the persona gonna be tomorrow, Kim?’ And there went that smile again.” - Dr. Dean Thompson, the Mary H. Edmunds and de Saussure Davis Edmunds Professor of English
STUDENT-ATHLETE “Kimberly and I were doubles partners her senior year. We spoke the same language and communicated almost 100% without saying a word. It was really amazing. During spring break of her senior and my freshman year, we went to California to play four matches against highly ranked schools, including UC-Davis. We were underdogs for the whole trip. “Kimberly got sick during the trip. In true Kimberly fashion, she didn’t let it keep her from playing. It took more than a cold and flu bug to stop Kimberly. We stepped out on the court that day, looked at each other in our unspoken language way, and she never wavered. I refused to let her down because I knew she would never let me down. She went out there sick as a dog. “I told her I would do everything possible, not to move unless the ball came to her, to just go for broke and hope we came out on the other end. We started the match and went up 3-0 quickly. She did exactly what she needed to do. She was
