Today marks a year since your passing. To dwell on the difficult times when remembering and honoring you is simply not befitting. To know Kevin as I did was a privilege. A relationship like none other. Globally, Kevin’s story and body of work inspired many individuals to pursue a career in cybersecurity when the industry was in its infancy. For people entering the world of cybersecurity today, his work continues to draw people in. His stories are readily available in books, movies, recorded demos, and speeches. Yes, he was a public figure in cybersecurity and to the tech community and beyond, but to know him personally was different from the public persona people knew him as. Over the past 12 months, I have reflected on and mourned the gravity of the loss. Not many truly knew the real Kevin. As his wife and mother to our dear son Morty Mitnick, I cherish all my memories. I’ve laughed many times when I’ve shared stories with loved ones. Kevin was an anomaly in many senses. He enjoyed his privacy yet was a public speaker and thrived in social settings—his love of magic, performing on stage and behind the camera, was oh so evident. He loved traveling around the world and hanging out with his friends, yet he had a huge fear of flying. Kevin was known for many titles over his lifetime. Those titles meant little to him. What mattered were the people in his life. He cared. He cared about the people who stood by him during his difficult upbringing and childhood years, his trials and tribulations, and those who were close to him after his ‘vacation’ (a term he coined and laughed wholeheartedly at). Kevin worked restlessly to rehabilitate his reputation. His desire to educate and help protect the everyday person on the street to global organizations was admirable. Sprinkling in levity, sharing his favorite hacks over the years and teachings from his pentesting engagements delighted many. Kevin mastered the art of storytelling. He captivated and drew people in a way that so few people can do. It is no wonder why he excelled and was legendary in his social engineering skills.  The ability to break down complex concepts in cyber for the everyday person to understand and for them to care is never to be underestimated.   It shocked countless people that he continued to hack and keynote till the very end. On calls with clients, I shared that Kevin would be joining in on the red team engagements (his favorite kind). Not just leading the team in devising ways to get in but also participating in the engagements - getting in and exfiltrating their assets that were agreed flags. He loved seeing the evolution of security products and services being implemented and still finding a way to bypass their security controls. More importantly, he took pride in writing the deliverable and handing over the report – the sheer number of hours he poured into writing reports was commendable. Raising the bar and improving the security posture for our clients was deeply important to him. Today is a day I celebrate the Kevin I knew. He was an undeniably loyal, adventurous man with an insatiable ability to continually evolve and learn. He was detail-oriented and a larger-than-life figure who always found ways to laugh despite any obstacle in his way. Your one-of-a-kind laugh will forever be in my heart and mind. I will carry on the Mitnick legacy, but more importantly, I aim to raise Morty with love. Seeing Morty's smile is the greatest gift of all.