TRIGG KISER MAY 18 It’s an odd thing to “know” a child through social media. Trigg Kiser — the son of Chandler content creator Emilie and her husband, Brady — grew up on Instagram and TikTok. Emilie Kiser’s millions of followers saw Trigg’s birth announcement, his first Christmas, his breakfasts and the news that he was going to be a big brother. And so his death in May brought interna- tional attention to a problem Phoenix just can’t seem to shake: the dangers of swimming pools. The 3-year-old boy with the sandy blond hair and big smile fell into an unfenced pool in his backyard the day after Mother’s Day. He passed away six days later at the hospital. After an understand- ably long break from social media, his mother posted: “The light and spirit he brought into this world was bright, pure, joyful and undeniable. We miss him every second of every day.” His tragic death set off a storm of news coverage. Chandler police investigated, ulti- mately recommending charges against the boy’s father, who the police report says was watching a basketball game while he lost track of Trigg in the backyard. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell declined to prosecute, citing no reasonable likelihood of conviction. Though Trigg’s death sparked headlines across the world, he is just one of the chil- dren who drowned in a Phoenix pool this year. May the tragedy of his loss remind us of the dangers of swimming pools, and that young lives are precious, fragile and worth protecting. – Jennifer Goldberg KEVIN DALY NOV. 26 Kevin Daly was a pivotal figure in Phoenix’s music scene. Although he was originally from Virginia, he lived and played punk and rockabilly music in Arizona for more than four decades with bands such as Hellfire, Grave Danger and Kevin Daly Chicken & Waffles. Daly had a passion for wheels and was as much a gearhead as he was a ridiculously good guitar player and engaging frontman. He rode Harleys, had vintage vehicles and belonged to the Midnighters car club, where his auto geekery was matched by that of its members, many of whom became dear friends. He was known for his thoughtful nature and for treating everyone with respect, making people feel seen and heard. His sense of humor was legendary, along with the wicked grin that paralleled his witty quips. His legacy lives on in recordings and videos of his music and performances, along with the trove of photos and published memories loved ones have shared. After battling brain cancer for the last couple of years, Daly died on Thanksgiving Eve at 69. His death inspired an outpouring of messages and memories on social media from people whose lives he touched, not just in the music arena, but from various walks of life. – Amy Young NANCY JACKSON JUNE 25 A vocalist, Jackson came to the Valley in the mid-1970s to study music. She immersed herself in the music community, performing with big band ensembles and area jazz musicians. Jackson was renowned for her vocal range and ability to transition seamlessly between diverse styles, including jazz and pop. Often playing alongside Jackson was her husband, bassist Jim Simmons. The pair’s popularity took off during their 11-year stint as the co-owners of the iconic Tempe club Chuy’s. The place was a hopping hotspot for blues and jazz music, welcoming legendary touring artists to its stage. The likes of Charlie Musselwhite and Jaco Pastorius played there. Locals like Bob Corritore, who owns The Rhythm Room, and singer-songwriter Walt Richardson were also fixtures of the place. At the time of her death at 69, Jackson had relocated to North Carolina. Her memory lives on through peers and friends like Corritore, who have cited her presence and venue for helping blues and jazz music continue to find audiences in the Valley. – Amy Young DIANA KALAS JUNE 24 Today, female TV newscasters are staples of television screens in Phoenix. But until 1970, there had been none in local TV news. That year, Diane Kalas became the first. Born in 1932 in Kansas City, Kalas moved to Phoenix with her family in 1947 and graduated from Phoenix Union High School before attending Phoenix College. She didn’t study journalism but always knew she wanted to be a reporter. Kalas was 38 when she started as the first woman in Channel 12’s newsroom, serving as a producer and co-anchor for the show “Today in Arizona.” She told 12News in 2024 that her male colleagues “treated me like their little sister” and were “helpful and welcoming.” With the station, she covered the 1972 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade and inter- viewed Hollywood legends like Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr. and Phyllis Diller. She even did a story about a gorilla being transported to the Phoenix Zoo in Hugh Hefner’s plane. Channel 12 let her go after seven years at the station. Kalas then jumped to radio at KTAR, going on to work at radio stations across the country, including in Pittsburgh, Boston and San Francisco. She finished her career in public relations for Shell Oil Company in California before retiring in 1994 and moving to Flagstaff. Kalas suffered a broken hip in March, and suffered from health challenges as a result. She died in Peoria months later “peacefully, surrounded by love,” her family wrote in a Facebook post. She was 93. – Morgan Fischer ADAM RAMEY MAY 19 Ramey was the founding member and vocalist of Dropout Kings, a rap metal band he started in Phoenix after his prior band, The Bad Chapter, broke up. Within a couple of years of forming in 2016, The Dropout Kings gained an active fan base, signing with a record label and heading out on tour with bigger acts. By 2021, the nu-metal band was on the Billboard charts and the band was head- lining its own tour. Even as he made it big, Ramey was passionate about helping other artists. In 2020, he started PUSH Digital Marketing to help bands grow and get exposure. Ramey died by suicide in May at 31. On the day his death was announced, his sister-in-law created a GoFundMe page and shared that his death came “after a long and painful battle with addiction.” The Dropout Kings paid tribute to their late member in a record released this year, “Yokai,” and with a live-streamed Adam Ramey Memorial Concert to cele- brate his life. His legacy also lives on through his wife, Jamie, and son, Jude. – Amy Young (All portraits by David Morgan)
