LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As LMPD investigators work to find out who killed a department employee, friends and family are remembering her legacy.
Tracy Kenemore was found dead inside her home on Cane Run Road on Wednesday. Investigators suspect foul play.
Tonight, dozens of Kenemore's friends and family held a balloon release in her honor, including her daughter Nyiesha Mulinda. Almost everyone who came, brought red hearts because red was her favorite color.
"It hurts me so much to know my mama is never coming back," Mulinda said. "That's why I got red hearts, I want her to know that my heart is going up to her."
She can't believe her mother is gone just days before one of her favorite holidays, Christmas.
"And she just didn't die, she got murdered and it hurts me so bad," Mulinda said.
The pair were more than just mother and daughter.
"She's my best friend she's my everything, I talk to my mommy every day," Mulinda said.
After 21 years as an LMPD employee, she was much more than a traffic control officer. Kenemore walked Linda Moore's children and grandchildren across the street from elementary through middle school.
"She crossed all kinds of kids at different schools and she watched them grow up," Mulinda said.
"That lady impacted a lot of children, she impacted mine," Moore said. "She was personally involved with every family that pulled up in front of JCPS."
Linda never imagined starting a school year without Tracy and now she thinks back to their conversations.
"Of course she would hug everybody," Moore said. "She says some things we can do something about and some things we can't. And she said we have to accept the things that we can change and things we can't."
Linda says Tracy pushed everyone to be a better person and now that she's gone, dozens showed up to send Tracy a message that her big heart, her bright smile and her devotion to the kids at school and in her family, will be what everyone holds on to.
"People don't know how much that means to me and my brother," Mulinda said.
Balloon release, vigil honor LMPD employee found dead
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.