Meet Joey Kimberly
U.S. Marine Veteran • Firefighter • 1LL Ambassador of Strength & Light
📍 Washington, Connecticut
Instagram
“If what I’ve been through can help even one person — it’s worth it.”
Joey’s Story:
Joey Kimberly has spent most of his life in service — to his country, to his community, and now, to his purpose.
He served as a United States Marine, where he learned what real brotherhood meant… and what it means to lose it. Joey has lost more friends to suicide than he ever imagined he would — including two of his best friends from home.
After his time in the military, Joey kept serving — this time as a firefighter. But nothing prepares you for responding to a call and finding out the person involved is someone you know. Someone you love.
That kind of pain doesn’t just fade. It stays. It weighs. It wounds.
Stationed away from everything familiar, and with more grief than guidance, Joey turned to alcohol as a way to cope. For a long time, he says, he was just surviving — going through the motions, pushing down everything he couldn’t face.
But he didn’t stay there.
Through a mix of fitness, cooking, and quiet moments of honesty, Joey began to climb out of that place. He didn’t try to be perfect — he just started being real. Real about what hurt. Real about what helped. And real about what it took to heal.
Why He Joined 1 Love Legacy:
“I don’t talk about it much on my socials… I like to keep it light. Keep people smiling and laughing. Let them know there’s still some light in this awfully dark world.”
Joey connected with the 1 Love Legacy movement not just because of what he’s been through — but because of what he wants to give. He believes in the mission to show that faith, love, and second chances belong to everyone — even the ones who’ve been carrying silent battles for years.
Life Today:
Today, Joey is still the same loyal, funny, resilient guy he’s always been — but now, he’s walking in his purpose with clarity.
He doesn’t pretend to have it all figured out. He just keeps showing up — with light, with strength, and with a heart for the people who feel like they’re going through it alone.
Whether he’s behind the grill, lifting in the gym, or cracking jokes online — he’s living proof that you can climb out of the dark and be someone else's reminder that hope still exists.
