By Michelle Ndaga
The family of 18-year-old Kimber Mills, a high school cheerleader from Blount County, is preparing to say a final goodbye after she was critically injured in a shooting at a weekend bonfire party in Pinson, Alabama.
Mills, a senior at Cleveland High School, was among four people shot early Sunday, October 19, when 27-year-old Steven Tyler Whitehead allegedly opened fire at a gathering known locally as “The Pit.” According to investigators, Whitehead who had no known connection to Mills was arrested shortly after the incident and has been charged with murder.
Family members say Kimber suffered devastating brain injuries and was placed on life support at UAB Hospital in Birmingham. Doctors later informed the family that her brain function had ceased, leaving no chance of recovery.
“She’s been fighting hard, but there’s nothing more the doctors can do,” her sister, Ashley Mills, said in a statement shared online. “We’ve made the decision to donate her organs so others can live.”
On Tuesday, Kimber’s family and friends gathered at the hospital to honor her final act of generosity before her life support was scheduled to be withdrawn. Community members described her as a vibrant, kind-hearted young woman who excelled in cheerleading, track, and academics, and who dreamed of studying nursing at the University of Alabama.
Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the shooting. Witnesses told police that Whitehead had been acting aggressively toward several partygoers before opening fire.
As the small Alabama town mourns, tributes have poured in from classmates and teachers remembering Kimber’s energy and kindness. A GoFundMe campaign has also been launched to help the Mills family cover medical and funeral expenses.
“She’ll always be our sunshine,” a friend wrote. “Even in her last moments, she’s saving lives.”
