Wings of Hope

KIMBER HANCHEY HAS A KNACK FOR EXPRESSING HER FAITH THROUGH PAINTINGS. OUT OF A NEED TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE TEAM SETH FOUNDATION, HER PASSION FOR THE ARTS EVOLVED.

article by APRIL CLARK HONAKER and photography by BRAD ARENDER

On September 28, 2011, the lives of Kimber Hanchey and her family were forever changed. That day, her son Seth, who was 17 at the time, was struck from behind on his bike by an 81-year-old woman driving a van. His body imploded her windshield and was thrown nearly 170 feet into a concrete guardrail. The first EMT on the scene, Jessica Trichel, said the back of Seth’s head felt like mush as she tried to stabilize it for ventilation, and he coded on scene twice before being transported by medevac to LSU Shreveport’s Trauma Center.

When Seth reached LSU, he was rushed to surgery, where doctors removed the left side of his skull to relieve the swelling on his brain. Given the brain damage and trauma to his body, Seth was not expected to live through the night. But Seth did live. And now he’s a walking miracle. More than that, he’s a running, bike riding, powerlifting, bear-hug giving miracle. Seth went from being completely paralyzed on his right side to winning one gold, two silver and one bronze medal in powerlifting at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Washington. But despite Seth’s physical recovery, his brain injury has left some lasting marks. Because of the damage, Seth now struggles to express himself verbally. He knows what he wants to say, but the damage to his communication pathways has made it harder for him to get the words out. Still, he continues to persevere and can now hold conversations and get his messages across, even if he has to rely on pictures or other means.

Considering Kimber and her family were told Seth would never run again, would never speak or understand sentences again, and would never be able to express emotions or have a sense of humor again, his recovery has been full of surprises. But those surprises have been wrought through faith, hope and a lot of hard work.

Seth’s journey has been full of obstacles, but he’s developed a personal motto that keeps him motivated: “Quitting lasts forever, pain lasts for a moment, so push through it.” His story is one of hope, especially for others who’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury. To reach a broader audience with Seth’s story and to make a difference in the lives of children who’ve suffered brain injuries, Kimber started the Team Seth Foundation.

As Kimber started Team Seth, she found herself praying for God to give her a way to raise funds, and painting was God’s answer. Although Kimber is not trained as an artist, she’s always been creative and has always had a strong sense of personal style. “I’m not afraid to be loud,” she said. When country chic was “in” during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Kimber also painted designs on furniture and hand-painted woodcrafts for herself. So when she felt God was telling her to paint, she wasn’t afraid to dive in. “I had this image in my head,” she said, “and it’s developed into a passion.”
Over the last year, Kimber’s work has evolved tremendously. Her earliest works were small paintings of wings. “I thought they would be a beautiful symbol,” she said, and she called them “Wings of Hope.” Along the way, many of the people she and Seth have met have felt led to purchase them—for example, a producer at ESPN and a cinematographer for Erwin Brothers Entertainment. She’s thrilled that people have taken such an interest in the “Wings of Hope,” but her more recent works are much larger in scale and include silhouettes of angels comforting people in despair. “People need hope,” she said, “and that’s the one thing we were so desperate for after Seth’s accident.”

Kimber insists that her paintings are best appreciated in person. Not only do the works carry a powerful spiritual message; they are also heavily textured and have a metallic glaze that shimmers in the light. “They have different dimensions,” she said, “and the metallic glaze gives them something extra.” Another important feature for Kimber is that the figural silhouettes leave much to the imagination. “Anyone can see themselves in the paintings,” she said.

Although most of the paintings have grown out of the despair she felt in the aftermath of Seth’s accident, Kimber has also been known to paint from others’ pain. For example, her daughter, Sierrah, endured two miscarriages before delivering her now one-year-old son. Knowing others have shared Sierrah’s pain, Kimber created “Angel of Refuge,” Series #3, which depicts an angel holding an infant and standing over a mother at graveside. The woman who purchased the painting could relate to it in a very personal way. “It was beautiful how the painting had my daughter in mind but ministered a healing and peace and comfort to her,” Kimber said.

In her “Angels of Refuge” series, Kimber has also dedicated paintings to women diagnosed with breast cancer and others struggling with grief and despair. She hopes that her paintings make people feel loved and that seeing them feels like a hug. “Because I’m a hugger, and I can feel when people are going through things,” she said, “I want to comfort and put people at ease and say something that will bring them peace. I want them to know they’re not alone, and they’re not forgotten.”

When she paints, Kimber prays over the people she’s painting for with a meaning or a message, and she believes God already has the person she’s painting for in mind. “I think a lot of times people need to see or touch something they can connect their faith and hope to,” she said, and she hopes her paintings can provide that for them. Although each painting carries with it a message of comfort, they all unfold a little a differently. In addition to being a painter, Kimber is a singer, so she compared the way a painting unfolds to the way a song unfolds. “It takes on its own personality,” she said.
In December, Kimber had her first major art exhibition called “Angels Among Us” at Ruston Artisans in Ruston, Louisiana. It was a huge opportunity for her and for Team Seth. “I love how one painting, when it’s hung in a gallery, can touch many people in different ways—how it opens the door to share my story,” she said. For Kimber, painting is a way of expressing herself without words. Because this is something Seth struggles with daily, painting also allows her to relate to him in a new way.

As one would expect, Seth has changed a lot since the accident. Before the accident, he was a full-time youth pastor at Power Church International and a full-time nursing student, but he was also a devoted athlete. In fact, on the day of the accident, Seth wasn’t on the average bike ride, he was on a 60-mile bike ride as part of his training for an upcoming Ironman Triathlon. After he was released from the hospital, Seth’s dad and brother-in-law helped him recover by locking arms with him and walking with him up and down the driveway. His dad recalls the day Seth just pushed them off and struck out on his own. He said, “I’ll never forget that day.” Within the first year, Seth was running again and even competed in a 5K. Given that his whole right side was paralyzed after the accident, his physical recovery has been remarkable to watch. Seth is stronger than ever. He’s 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 320 pounds. According to Kimber, if you add his totals for all the powerlifting events he competes in, Seth can lift over 1,500 pounds.

If you didn’t know Seth, his stature might be intimidating, but Kimber said, “He’s very compassionate. He’s like a big ole bear and gives the best hugs.” Like Kimber, Seth can sense when others are in pain. “He’s very aware,” she said, “and can be the biggest comfort. I hope my paintings come through that way. I hope they give reassurance.”

Kimber and her family have endured so much as a result of Seth’s accident, and her paintings have been birthed out of those feelings of pain, tragedy, fear, despair and grief, but she said, “Even the darkest thing can turn into something incredibly beautiful.” Of the accident, she said, “It’s the worst thing that happened to us, but it’s also the best thing that’s happened for us.” Many positive things were set in motion as a result of that day. Kimber would not be reaching others with her paintings and Seth’s story of hope, if he had not been struck while riding his bike. In addition, the Team Seth Foundation would not exist. Team Seth’s mission is to bring awareness to traumatic brain injury and to support children who’ve sustained them, and every painting Kimber sells helps them carry out that mission.

Kimber said, “My favorite thing is to encourage others to believe they can, when they’ve been told they can’t.” She loves people, especially people with disabilities, and she’s passionate about advocating for them. “I’ve become skilled at cutting through red tape and putting a door or window where they’ve been told there weren’t any,” she said. “Out of default, I became Seth’s voice, and out of that, I’ve become a voice for many. When you’re aware of how vital you are, you can’t just wander through your day. You’re on a path of purpose.” She believes there are people waiting for you to be a light to them, and she strives to be that light and share that light in any way she can.

Every angel she paints glows and shimmers. She hopes they will serve as a reminder that the light of God’s love has no boundaries. “I hope the angels breathe upon them in a secret place—that they shine a light in the darkest place.” If that place is one of trauma or addiction, tragedy or loss, she hopes her paintings can shed light and love there. “I hope that they feel, rescued,” she said.

For Kimber and her family, angels are not just symbols. They’re real. According to Kimber, Seth has conveyed to them many times that he’s seen angels. He’s also insisted that when he coded after the accident, he was told by God to go back. Kimber, too, has experienced a kind of angelic comfort. “There were times,” she said, “when I felt such despair, but I felt a peace—a comfort—that passed my reality, and I felt like God was there, and He saw me, and He heard me, and then that peace came—past the pain, past the reality. It’s like breathing out. You don’t have to hold on to any of it. You can just let it all pour out.” Because her paintings capture how she felt in those moments, she hopes they help others find that same sense of comfort and release, not only for those who purchase them, but also for generations to come. “I like to think they are heirlooms that can be passed down—heirlooms of hope and faith that can help others through a tough time,” she said, “and in addition, they’re helping a good cause.”