katie reider

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hear her story
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KATIE REIDER
THE BEGINNING
Dedicated to:
Karen, Aiden, & Koen Reider
Kathryn Ann “Katie” Reider was an American singer-songwriter. Reider described her
own music as “Folk/pop/rock fused together into some sort of ‘genre-less’ category.” Reider released four albums, won five Cincinnati music awards and had her songs featured
on television programming by ABC, Lifetime, and on the WB’s Dawson’s Creek before
health problems emerged in 2006 that ultimately led to her death two years later. Shortly
after her death, the New York Times stated that Reider was “a singer-songwriter with a
huge following back home and a growing national fan base, who seemed on the cusp of
much larger success when her life was destroyed by a rare tumor that ate into her jaw and
face, stole her voice, left her blind in one eye and finally killed her [in July 2008] at the
age of 30.”
EARLY LIFE
Reider was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on 23 May 1978 to Gaile and Rob Reider and grew
up as one of six children in nearby Montgomery. Reider grew up surrounded by music.
Rob Reider was a singer and band leader on the syndicated entertainment program The
Bob Braun Show during the 1970s and early 80s. Reider’s parents gave her her first guitar
when she was in fifth grade. It was a red Gibson Epiphone. Reider’s parents were supportive of her interest in music. Reider would later recall, “I started out singing in front of my
family in front of the fireplace. I would take out a poker from next to the fireplace and use
it as a microphone.”
KAREN BOONE
In the summer of 1995, just before her senior year of high school, Reider met Karen
Boone and Dan Stroeh while in a Christian theater group. Over the course of several years
Reider and Boone became lovers and partners. Stroeh presided over a backyard wedding
and Boone took Reider’s last name. They remained a couple until Reider’s death. Karen
gave birth to two children, whom they parented together.
music
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HER SONG
MUSIC CAREER
Reider began performing her own songs publicly in the early 1990s while still a high
school student at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. She started singing in local coffeehouses and later at the Crossroads Community Church in Oakley. Janet Pressley saw Reider perform at the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse in Cincinnati’s Northside in 1993. Pressley
recalled, “She had the pipes back then.”
Reider lived in Columbus, Ohio throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s while majoring in family studies at the Ohio State University, but she did not frequently perform there.
She primarily returned to Cincinnati to perform gigs during her early career.
Reider joined the artist cooperative label co-founded by Janet Pressley, Blue Jordan Records, and released her first album, Wonder, in late 1998. According to Reider, the title
contained a double meaning: “I wonder about a lot of things, and then I wonder about
it all and how wonderful it is.” The album was described in the Cincinnati Post as “an
incredibly mature project - both musically and lyrically - for someone so young. Her songs
mainly deal with the aches of lost and found love, but in a way that is far more seasoned
than the angst-filled, angry lyrics of such artists as Alanis Morissette.”
Her Last Show | February 24, 2007
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Locally, the album was a major success, and Reider won more awards than any other performer at the 1999 Cincinnati Area Pop Music Awards (known in Cincinnati as “Cammy
Awards”). She gained recognition as Best Folk/Bluegrass Vocalist, Best New Artist, and
Songwriter of the Year.
In October 2000, two songs from Reider’s debut album, “What You Don’t Know” and
“Piece of Soul,” were featured on episodes of the WB show, Dawson’s Creek. “What
You Don’t
Know” was
played for
my friend said to me,
three min
that songs hold many memories
utes on the
- Row 9 by K. Reider
show. Reider said she
experienced being “outside of herself” for a moment: “I had some friends over and we watched it. I’m telling
the truth when I say I never watched Dawson’s Creek before that. It was surreal and
overwhelming how cool it was.” She told the Cincinnati Post that traffic on her website
increased by 1,200 hits the next day.
Her Last Show | February 24, 2007
“
”
In December 2000, Reider released
the live album, No Retakes. The album featured the same musicians
that appeared on her first studio album, Dave Eberhardt (electric guitar), Greg Hansen (bass), Josh Seurkamp (drums) and Reider’s brother
Robbie on guitar. Reider’s father,
Rob, helped engineer the project
and suggested the title. The tracks
feature a mix of new songs and
songs that appeared on Wonder.
The recordings were from performances at the York Street Cafe and the Aronoff Center.
According to the Cincinnati Post: “Throughout the set we hear how Ms. Reider’s voice is
growing more powerful and sensual as her band soars on her deliciously subtle hooks and
melodies.”
Reider released her second studio album in December 2001, I Am Ready. Just a couple
weeks later, the Cincinnati Post named it one of the top ten local albums of the year, calling it “more musically diverse, showing mature song crafting and confident, gutty vocals
way beyond her 23 years.”
let this be her legend.
let this be her voice.
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music career
Reider was again nominated for best folk/bluegrass vocalist at the Cammy Awards in 2002
and 2003. At the time, she regularly played gigs at the York Street Cafe in Newport, Kentucky, the Barrel House in Cincinnati and at Club 202 in Columbus.
Reider’s music continued to gain exposure from television programs. On Dec. 8, 2002,
her recording of “Silent Night” from No Retakes aired on an episode of the Lifetime series Strong Medicine. Less than a month later, the WB launched a Web site that allowed
fans of Dawson’s Creek to order a custom compilation CD containing their favorite songs
from the show. The promotion featured the 80 most requested songs from the approximately 700 songs that were featured in the series during its six-year run. Both of Reider’s
songs were included. Reider’s music also entered into rotation on Sirius Satellite Radio
Channel No. 30 (The Coffee House).
BETTER DAYS
THE LONG BATTLE
It was important for Katie to stay in touch with her fans and friends, so during her entire
journey to recovery she kept a detailed blog of the highs and lows she experienced. The
following is comprised of articles, interviews, and her blog.
It all began with a toothache on Valentine’s Day in 2006. Katie’s molar on the upper left
side of her jaw became loose. With a trip to the dentist, she learned that her molar was
fine, however that there was no bone holding it in place. From here, she was sent to other
doctors to figure out what was wrong.
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between two things, Gorham’s Disease and Myfibroblastic Inflammation Pseudo Tumor.
The tumor was in her skull, taking over the bone on the left side of her face.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2007
Now that doctors knew what Katie had, it was time to figure out a treatment. She started
radiation treatment, and would hopefully undergo chemotherapy as well, if they could
find a chemo plan that would work.
Katie’s latest MRI and CT scans showed that the tumor had spread across more of the
left side of her face, towards her ear and under her eye. It wrapped itself around her left
optical nerve, which started to give her double vision. There was a lot of pressure behind
Fountain Square Show | October , 2006
her eye, making it very uncomfortable.
The doctors made changes to her radiation treatment, with the news of those latest scans.
With the increase in the amount of radiation, there was an increased chance of more viFountain Square | October , 2006
sion problems.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2007
As Katie fought to beat the tumor, her mom’s health was
also deteriorating. Her mom past away from cancer two
weeks after Katie went home to see her at the end of July.
Katie had to take a short break from music in order to take care of her health; to fight
off the bad bone infection, which was diagnosed as Osteomylitis. This required her to
undergo intravenous antibiotics and oxygen chamber treatments for six weeks.
It was her last week of radiation and it was working – CT
scans and CT Cone scans showed regression in the tumor.
All the treatment was starting to pay off.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2007
She was still having the double vision, but was waiting to see
her eye doctor. Although Katie would have had to wait at
least six months after radiation therapy to do reconstructive
surgery, they began talking about possibilities.
Doctors continued to be boggled by Katie’s condition. She was becoming more weak
tired, and unable to keep food down. After being misdiagnosed, she was finally diagnosed
let this be her vision.
let this be her choice.
the long battle
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hear her story
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2007
FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2008
Katie had met with her doctor to discuss her latest MRI results, which indicated bad
news – growth. However, Katie had weaned off most of her pain medicine and had gained
weight (but still had double vision), so she didn’t seem symptomatic of a progressing tumor. They concluded that the MRI actually showed post-radiation inflammation. Another MRI was schedule in six weeks, to be sure.
After some alarming inflammation to her face and eye area, Katie was admitted to the
ER. They put her on a few IV drugs – one was a very strong steroid. The steroid worked
well, and she was kept on it until her chemo treatment started again.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2008
‘‘
Here is an update, the best one I could give! I spoke with my Radiation Oncologist’s assistant
over the phone yesterday. The first thing she asked me was, “So Katie, how are you feeling?”.
My response was, “I am having some pretty bad pain in my jaw, but other than that I feel really
well ”. She replies, “I was just asking because your scan looks excellent!”. I started to cry right
there. I had hoped for this moment, but wasn’t honestly sure that it would come.
The tumor had stopped growing and had shrunk a considerable amount!!
‘‘
”
This thing that has tried to stop me over the past two years has not won. It has not robbed me
of my joy, my love for the people around me. It has not consumed me with depression, anger
and fear (although I had moments of all of those things). What has been the hardest time in my
life so far I feel is passing and it is the best feeling I have ever had, short of finding the love of
my life and seeing my sons born. I really feel I have been given a “second chance”.
”
Although she was anxious, Katie was ready for the “restoration process” of her face.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008
Throughout all the treatment Katie lost a lot of weight – she was now 100 lbs. This night
she was admitted into the hospital, to be ready for her surgery/biopsy scheduled for the
next day. She was having a needle biopsy done through her esophagus and into the tumor.
A feeding tube was also planned to be put in, to help her gain weight and give her more
energy. On top of all this, they planned to pull two loose teeth that were causing pain.
Before she started on this new chemo round, Katie and her family spent a week away in
Ohio. This round, she had two types of chemo running. The process was repeated three
times and then they did another scan to check if there was progress. Katie’s speech was
pretty bad due to the progression of the tumor in her mouth/sinus and from getting teeth
pulled.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2008
Katie has since undergone two chemo treatments, both of which required her to stay at
the hospital for four days. The second round was started because her MRI showed that
the chemo had shrunk the tumor! Unfortunately though, her vision in her left eye was now
permanently lost.
‘‘
This was hard at first to accept, but I am okay and will love looking at life one eye if that is all I
have! I just want to live. SO, shrink that tumor, and lose eyes site in one eye...worth the trade off.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2008
”
Her third round of chemo started on May 28th. This time around recovery went well –
she felt good, pretty quickly.
She developed a chest infection, but not to worry, it was nothing antibiotics couldn’t help.
Although she still had her feeding tube in, she was beginning to be able to put food in her
mouth. However, she was now at 92 lbs. and was not gaining any.
her hope and determination is inspirational to us all...
2007
2008
to remain as we knew her,
June 2008
strong and poise.
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the long battle
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hear her story
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500kin365
I have found that nothing is more tasty than an avacado or a cinnamon raison bagel with cream
cheese.
”
After she finished the third round, she vacationed at her dad’s house with Karen and the
boys.
Katie Reider’s 365-Day Benefit launched on May 23,
2008. It was started by Lauren Fernandes - a fan and
friend. The goal of the site is to link 500,000 people
within 365 days to www.500kin365.org, and to connect and re-connect people to Katie and her life.
If there was no sign of growth in her next MRI, doctors had intended to do surgery in early
July that would have replaced the skin in her face; the tumor had eaten away much of the
left side of her sinuss area and cheek that it left a hole.
SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2008
Just before leaving for vacation, Katie’s MRI revealed further shrinkage of the tumor – 9597% gone. While on vacation, Katie had some bleeding from the mouth and the tumor
came out. After inspecting it, Katie decided to flush it, however, when she leaned over to
do so, she began to bleed – really badly.
Upon visiting the site, you can find pictures and videos of Katie’s career, life, and journey. In addition, the
are downloads to her music for $1 - all proceeds help
her family with expenses that accumulated over her
two year fight.
She was taken to the hospital, where they incubated her and stopped the bleeding. From
here they airlifted her to a hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. They believed the bleeding was coming from a major artery in Katie’s brain. If she were to start bleeding again it
would be fatal.
There are also links, where you can find more about
Katie. The site continues to be updated by her friends
and family.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2008
A tracheotomy also had to be performed to help Katie breathe more comfortably. The
results of the chemotherapy and steroids caused a significant thinning of the tissue on the
left side of her face. A hole in her cheek opened up. She had also lost a significant amount
of weight again – down to 86 lbs.
SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2008
11:15 pm – Katie had started to bleed again.
MONDAY, JULY 14, 2008
12:50 am – Karen said the doctors were able to stabilize Katie. However, later in the day
the bleeding started again after a cough. While in the ambulance en route to Beth Israel
hospital in New York City around 7:00 am, Katie’s fight came to an end.
Katie Reider 1978-2008
as the one we love.
NO RETAKES
KAREN REIDER
Karen Reider, Katie’s partner, has set out on a year long journey across the country with
their two sons, Aiden and Koen. You can follow Karen and the boys on their journey
through her vlogs, as she begins to tell their untold story...
http://www.youtube.com/user/Noretakes
“i’ll be back...i’ll be back
in full health”
- K.Reider, Her Last Show