‘She will be missed, but not forgotten’
May 5, 2021There are multiple ways to pay tribute to Amy Waugh
By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director
Her smile. Her work ethic. Her tennis serve.
These are just some of the characteristics people remember about Amy M. Waugh, the Practice Manager and Athletic Trainer Clinical Coordinator at UK Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, who passed away Nov. 13, 2020.
She was beloved by all, including her family, friends, co-workers and the teams she assisted. It should only be fitting then, that her memory — as well as that love everyone held for her — should continue to live on.
At UK, where she worked as an athletic training student aid for many of the Wildcats sports teams, she will be remembered with a memorial walk and a scholarship.
The inaugural Miles in Memory Challenge will benefit scholarship opportunities for athletic training students within the University of Kentucky’s College of Health Sciences — including The Amy M. Waugh Memorial Scholarship Fund.
The goal of the Miles in Memory Challenge is to set a personal mileage goal for the 30 days of June that can be completed through walking, jogging, running, hiking, or elliptical training at your own pace. You can participate on your neighborhood streets, local trails, treadmill, or with your pet.
Friends say it’s exactly the kind of thing Amy would have loved to have participated in.
She was an avid sports enthusiast and an athlete competing in many activities throughout her youth. During high school she played tennis and served as an athletic trainer for the Bourbon County High School Football team. From there, her future career path was born.
“Amy was a very compassionate person and a great mentor for young athletic trainers,” said L. Robert Ullery, MS, LAT, ATC, Director of Outreach and Athletic Training Services at UK Sports Medicine. “We often spoke of our student-teaching experiences and how exciting it was to mold young minds. She often took young athletic trainers under her wing and showed them best practices for an up-and-coming professional. She always impressed to everyone the need for professionalism in everything that you do. Her compassion also was displayed in her love of taking care of student-athletes.”
As a graduate student at the University of Florida, Amy worked with the swim and dive team and then transitioned into full-time employment as an Athletic Trainer and Sports Health Coordinator from 2005-2007. At that time, she returned to the University of Kentucky as an Outreach Athletic Trainer and built solid and enduring relationships with the high school programs she provided services for across the state.
Athletes, coaches and parents from across rural Kentucky were impacted by her compassionate care and dedication to her job. Those who worked for her said she possessed a contagious light, a vibrant, independent energy, and they said she was truly an inspiration to everyone she met.
“I have only known Amy for a few years, but I know she was a great person,” co-worker Lisa Tarbet wrote on an online memorial for Amy. “She was my boss and I had nothing but respect for her. She leaves a very big void in our clinic and has been missed by all of us.”
“I had the opportunity to work with Amy at UKHC,” co-worker Vance Drakeford wrote in another online memorial. “She always had a kind, sweet spirit and helped in any way possible for the project we worked on together. My sincerest sympathies to all Amy’s family and friends. She will be missed, but not forgotten.”
“I only had the pleasure of knowing Amy for a few years working in the clinic,” co-worker Karen Farr wrote. “She was always so nice to me. Every time I would pass her office she would always smile and say hello. I will miss seeing her face. Sending my love and prayers to her family. She is truly missed.”
Amy’s parents, Keith and Judy Waugh, as well as the rest of her family and friends, support the Miles in Memory Challenge.
Her parents say they hope everyone who participates knows how much they appreciate the participation and involvement. The family says that every step taken in memory of Amy is a step toward providing scholarships for students to pursue degrees in her chosen field of athletic training.
Others wanting to memorialize Amy can also give online, to a fund dedicated to providing financial support for students who are on the Pre-Athletic Training path within the College of Health Sciences. This fund is a reflection of Amy’s dedication to the lives of others, and the way she chose to live her life.
To Donate, or to participate in the Miles in Memory Challenge:
To give online, use the link below to access the general excellence fund page for the UK College of Health Sciences. Please write Amy’s name in the section for “Honor or remember someone with your gift” or in the section for “Additional Instructions About My Donation.”
https://uky.networkforgood.com/causes/5376-health-sciences-academic-fund-for-excellence
To make a gift by check, please write Amy's name in the memo line and send it to the Office of Advancement at the UK College of Health Sciences 900 South Limestone 124E Lexington, KY 40506. Please make checks payable to the UK College of Health Sciences.
