Amber Kotowski

Amber Kotowski, born on September 16, 1979, in Fort Myers, Florida, passed away on January 14, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. She was 46 years old. Amber's life was a testament to love, perseverance, and faith, and her memory will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew her.

Amber graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor's Degree and went on to build a remarkable career. She dedicated herself to helping others as a non-attorney social security representative, tirelessly advocating for those who needed assistance. Her professional journey also saw her excel as a law office manager, a role she achieved through hard work and determination after starting as a paralegal.

Amber's life was deeply enriched by her family. She is survived by Nicholas, her devoted husband; Sebastian, her beloved son; her mother, Melody; her father, Mike; her stepmother, Debi; her sister, Erica; her brother, Mike; and her extended family, including Jennifer, Adam, Laurie, Chris, and Erin. She was predeceased by her father, Jerry Meinhardt. Amber's love for her family was the cornerstone of her life, and she cherished every moment spent with them.

Amber's passions were as vibrant as her personality. She was an avid reader who devoured an impressive 45 books per year. Her adventurous spirit led her to embrace activities like MMA training, hang gliding, and skydiving. She participated in 16 mud runs and loved sushi, but above all else, Amber's greatest joy was found in the love she shared with her family.

Here is the Eulogy that Nicholas shared with the more than 120 people in attendance, not including those watching the live stream, for her service:

Amber's Eulogy

I never got to say goodbye. One moment you were there, and the next you were gone, taking with you every word I ever said, every promise I ever made, every secret we told each other.

I wanted...no needed to tell you how much I loved you, explain to you how much you changed me, and how thankful I am for the time we shared.

But time ran out. And where your infectious laugh lit up the room, now there was only silence.

I carry with me your words, your voice, your promises, tucked away in a corner of my heart belonging solely to you. No one will ever know or understand the leeching pain that comes with the word goodbye until those words echo back without acceptance, without a smile, without any reaction.

But maybe goodbyes are not always said. Maybe they're felt by the soul. I know you're here, listening, watching, smiling, and you know that with all my heart, with everyone's heart here, we all truly loved you.

I want everyone here...everyone, to look around, to see all the people who came here to support my family, to share the love they have in their hearts. I want you all to hold hands for a second and feel what Amber wanted everyone to feel for each other: love.

Love is beautiful, and for those who've had the type of love I've had, you understand the beauty in everything everyone says. On Christmas Day last year, I walked into my wife's hospital room and her face lit up with a huge smile. She lifted her hand and arm and waved to me, never taking her eyes off me as I crossed the room. I said, "Merry Christmas, Baby." I held up a present for her, and she mouthed, "I'm sorry. I didn't get you anything."

Amber's legacy will always be that of how she always treated everyone, how she always thought of others first. Her focus could have been on her pain or complaining about a procedure. Instead, it was on me, and her concern was about how I felt...how I was doing. Her first reaction was to let me know she was thinking about me and only me.

I told her, "It's not important. I have you. I don't need a gift or gifts, though you bought me a few things because me and Sebastian are sharing gifts this year." I could have left it at "I don't need anything." But I know my wife, and that wouldn't be good enough for her. She was the one who always put everyone before herself. So, I added the part about sharing the gifts. The keyboard we talked about giving Sebastian for his birthday. She shook her head because I jumped the gun—I'm notorious for that—but that's because they had a huge sale, so I got it early. Along with that, he and I will take piano lessons together. Lastly, we got him a boxing bag and gloves so I can continue teaching him what she taught him.

She often asked him when he was acting up, "What are hands for?" He'd come up with all different things at first, like toddlers do, but then he got it right every single time after she told him, "Hands are for hugging."

She never wanted him to throw a punch or hurt someone by flailing his arms about, so she'd redirect him to hugging.

I reminded her of that lesson she taught him and how I'm going to enforce it as he gets older and how the concept needs to mature as he grows. I told her, "I now ask him what are hands for? Then, I let him tell me hugging, and then I direct him to put on boxing gloves so he knows that it's okay to punch a boxing bag. Mommy and daddy were and are avid MMA enthusiasts and often took lessons, so I said to her it might be confusing when he sees a picture or video of us training." She thought for a second and smiled. I imagined every race we ran together, and all the MMA training we did together flashed through her mind. Then she looked at me and mouthed, "You're an amazing daddy."

That one sentence alone was the greatest Christmas gift I've ever gotten from anyone, and it came from my wife in her time of need. She recognized that as much as she's going through, I too was going through a lot by acting as a single parent.

I hugged her and cried into her chest for an hour, thanking her for being the love of my life while she caressed the back of my head.

For Christmas, I got her two things, but she told me it was three. I got her a set of Star Wars Squish Balls to strengthen her grip. One Death Star, one R2D2, one BB-8. We always got each other Star Wars things. We love Star Wars. In fact, we love it so much, we decorate and are still decorating it in Star Wars once the paintings she picked out come in. We have lightsabers, which are not just decorations but were used to battle each other on our front lawn in the dark many times. Her's is purple. Mine is a double blue lightsaber. We also have two that connect and change colors. But she told me, I could never be a Sith because I'm too good of person. I love her for seeing that amount of good in me.

The second thing I got her was a performance of me singing to her. I wrote more verses to the song I sang to her when I proposed. It's not my song. It's by Adam Sandler. I'm going to need some help here from a couple of people, not to sing, but to pick me back up, dust me off so I can finish singing this song for her because I only finished the last lines after she was gone so she didn't hear it all. This is that song from front to end. It's how she made me feel every day, including today.

I wanna make you smile,
whenever you're sad.
Carry you around when your arthritis is bad.
Oh, all I wanna do, is grow old with you.
I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches,
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks.
Oh, it could be so nice, growin' old with you.

I'll miss you, kiss you,
Give you my coat when you are cold,
need you, feed you.
I'll even let you hold the remote control.

So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink,
put you to bed when you've had too much to drink.
Oh, I could be the man who grows old with you.
I wanna grow old with you...

You let me grow old with you.

You made me laugh a lot, cry a lot,
tell you why I was hot,
oh it was so nice growing old with you.
I loved growin' old with you.

You let me rub your feet when you were beat,
built me fire for some heat.
It was so nice growing old growin' old with you.
You let me grow old with you.

And now I miss you, want to kiss you,
tell you all about our— son,
and reminisce about how—
we
had— way too much fun.
But I don't know where— you—went,
so I'll tell you I'll be around the bend.
It was so nice growin' old with you.

You let me hold your hand in our bed, stroke your hair on your head.
It was so nice growing old with you.
I loved growing old with you.

And now all I want to do is
read to you,
plead to you, love you, covet you, and ask you what you're doing up above.
But I can't hear your— — voice,
and my throat is coarse,
so I'll just say thank you for saying yes.
I'm so lucky to have grown old with you.

Way too lucky to have just known— you,
Shown— you
my heart that no one one sees, simply because you were— the bees knees, always the one who knew where I put my keys.

Now, let me tell you all about our life,
God help me forget all our fights,
nothing was as great as growing old with you.
Nothing was as great as growing old with you.
I loved growing old with you.
Thank you for growing old with me.

Thank you, babe, for growing old with me. I'll see you soon. We'll all see you soon.

When I finished, I said, that's all I got for you. I wish it was more than two gifts. That's when she told me, it is more. I looked at her like she was confused, but she smiled with a few tears in her eyes and mouthed, "You got me you. All of you. All of your heart. I love you."

I said, "I know."

She laughed at my Han Solo reference.

That's who Amber is, was, and always will be. Thoughtful, deep, mysterious, overly kind, and amazing towards every single person she ever met.

Look around the room again...not just at the person sitting next to you, but further away. Everyone here knew Amber somehow, and Amber touched every person in some amazing way. For that, whether you know the person well or don't know them at all, Amber has eternally connected you to each other.

She was the eternal thread of optimism, love, and the belief that God binds all souls together through the love of one another. Amber was more than a wife, more than a friend, more than a mother, daughter, relative, or acquaintance. She was the best of all of us because God made her that way. God took the best of humanity and created an angel on earth, waiting for her wings so she can rise to heaven and watch over all of us.

In her final words, she mouthed, "It's okay. It's okay. I've led a blessed life, longer than I ever thought I would. God gave me more time. I don't know where I'm going. I could be walking beside you, or looking down on you. I don't know what it will be. But I know, I'm going on to eternity.

Amber was the biggest believer in God and His Kingdom of Heaven. Even in the times I wavered this last year and in other years, she held our family together with her belief.

Leaving here today, I ask you all, whether you believe or don't believe to honor Amber by understanding our belief in God and that true love begins from within, and true love is one soul split into two bodies, searching for each other, serving God until we split again only to be reunited in Heaven eternally together.



Amber's faith was a guiding light in her life. Having converted to Catholicism, she was baptized and confirmed by the bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. Her belief in God's love and eternal kingdom provided strength and comfort to her and her family during life's challenges.

Amber's legacy is one of compassion and selflessness. She had an extraordinary ability to prioritize others' needs above her own, even during times of personal difficulty. Her husband Nicholas shared a poignant memory of their last Christmas together when Amber, despite her struggles, focused on his well-being and their son Sebastian's happiness. This moment exemplified the depth of her love and the unwavering kindness that defined her character.

Amber's adventurous spirit extended to her shared love of Star Wars with Nicholas. Their home reflected this shared passion with themed decorations and lightsabers that were not merely ornaments but tools for playful battles on their front lawn. These moments of joy and connection were a hallmark of their bond.

In addition to her many accomplishments and passions, Amber was a source of wisdom and guidance for her son Sebastian. She instilled in him lessons of kindness and empathy, teaching him that "hands are for hugging." Her nurturing spirit and dedication to shaping his character will continue to influence him throughout his life.

Amber's eulogy captured the profound impact she had on those around her. Nicholas spoke of her as the eternal thread of optimism and love that connected everyone she encountered. Her belief in the power of love and faith resonated deeply with all who knew her.

Amber's final words reflected her acceptance and gratitude for the life she lived: "It's okay. It's okay. I've led a blessed life, longer than I ever thought I would. God gave me more time." Her unwavering faith and grace in the face of life's challenges serve as an enduring inspiration to all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Amber Kotowski leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, and resilience. Her memory will be cherished by her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched. May she rest in eternal peace, and may those who loved her find comfort in the knowledge that her spirit lives on in their hearts. A Memorial Mass will be held on April 11, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM at Espiritu Santo Catholic Church. This service is being streamed live:

Here is the Vimeo link for the livestream:
https://vimeo.com/event/5837108