'Just a solid human being': Remembering comedian and Springfield native Kenny DeForest

As the lights brightened and the ZIP codes changed through the course of comedian Kenny DeForest's burgeoning career, his southwest Missouri charm never fizzled.

Tall, affable and quick-witted, DeForest often used anecdotes from his formative years in Springfield, where he was the son of a farm supply store owner and a relatively successful basketball player.

In the opening minutes of his latest stand-up special "Don't You Know Who I Am?" the 37-year-old regales a New York City audience about the moment he knew would be a comedian, a story that begins as a senior forward at Kickapoo High School during the 2004 Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions.

After jokingly explaining the dichotomy of a major fishing brand's sponsorship of a basketball event, DeForest talks about how then-Poplar Bluff star and future NBA player Tyler Hansbrough dunked on him several times in front of thousands of onlookers at Great Southern Bank Arena.

"Oh, I see. I should be a comedian," DeForest said of the realization he had during the game. "I should write this down and make it funny, so it doesn't manifest as trauma. And here I am."

DeForest's brand of humor had wide-ranging appeal, earning him appearances on Comedy Central, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Late Show with James Corden, HBO’s “Crashing,” and TruTV’s “Friends of the People.”

The mass following he had cultivated in comedy circles and the Springfield community were devastated when the Drury University graduate died Dec. 13 after an e-bike accident near his home in Brooklyn.

"He was only going to get bigger," said Blue Room Comedy Club owner and friend Chris Richele, who hosted DeForest two weeks in Springfield before his death. "One of the most heartbreaking things in all of this was that he was only going to get better and hadn't come close to reaching his peak."

From Bill Burr to Seth Meyers, some of the most prominent names in comedy and entertainment offered their condolences in the wake of DeForest's passing. The placement "RIP Kenny DeForest" on the marquee of the world-famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles also conveyed the respect he had garnered in the industry.

Comedian and actor Kyle Kinane loved DeForest's authenticity.

"He was a rare and refreshing, genuine human," Kinane told the News-Leader. "Maybe it's not rare in some other lines of work, but in standup or 'showbiz' finding someone like Kenny was a privilege. He spoke with sincere interest to whoever he was conversing with. He cared about his friends, and anyone he met became his friend. His talent was only outsized by his compassion."

Giving life after death

To keep up with New York's high cost of living, many entertainers must earn supplemental income. When DeForest wasn't making money for his comedic services, he was running a crew for a moving company.

On Dec. 8, DeForest's father, Roger DeForest, said that his son was en route to a moving job when he lost control of a rented e-bike and collided with a parked car around 9:30 a.m., injuring his head.

"He was able to walk, talk," Rogers said he was told after initial reports suggested his son was hit by a driver. "He didn't want to go to the hospital, but his head was bleeding."

He was taken to a local hospital, where he underwent neurological surgery to remove a piece of his skull in order to relieve pressure from cranial bleeding.

"They thought everything was so promising," said Roger, who co-owns Race Brothers Farm & Home Supply. "But then the swelling really ramped up."

DeForest died Dec. 13 surrounded by friends and family.

The DeForest family says it was greeted at the hospital by 25 comics who rotated visitation with DeForest at his hospital bed. A GoFundMe effort raised $179,00 to help curb his medical costs.

Kenny was an organ donor, and through the program LiveOnNY, several of his organs were recovered to help others ailing in surrounding states.

Kenny often gave the gift of laughter. In death, he has already helped give life to five people through the donation of his heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and pancreas.

"LiveOnNY is humbled to have honored Kenny’s last wish and be the stewards of these precious gifts on behalf of Kenny and his family, so that he and others may Live On," LiveOnNY president Leonard Achan said in a statement.

Through their grief, the DeForest family knows their son did something he was often known for — helping others.

"We're very proud. Very inspiring," said Roger DeForest, who hopes to have a celebration of life service on his son's forthcoming April 23 birthday.

'Just a solid human being'

Before DeForest performed in major venues,  he developed his comedy chops in Springfield in front of patrons at diners and bars, including Primas Mexican Kitchen, Patton Alley Pub and Billiards.

The self-made talent had a degree in economics and interned at an investment firm before he started to really dig his heels into the laugh business. He eventually took a leap of faith when he moved to Chicago to immerse himself in the city's comedy-rich scene.

If it didn't work out, he was confident he could fall back on his degree.

"When he told me he was going to be a comedian, I believed in him," Roger DeForest said. "We thought he could be good for Springfield, but we didn't know he was respected coast to coast."

His son put himself out there any way he could and found success.

"He showed us that it is possible when we didn't have any (comedy scene) that existed yet," Richele said. "He helped create a comedy scene in Springfield."

Several young comics have since pursued professional comedy in Springfield, which is now widely considered a small-but-mighty comedy community by industry experts.

More: Springfield native, comedian Kenny DeForest has died after being struck by vehicle in NYC

DeForest often joked that being a comedian was always his No. 2 dream job behind being a professional basketball player. In Springfield, a tradition-rich high school basketball city that has its share of boys and girls state championship programs, the 6-foot-4 blonde kid won a lot of games.

DeForest went a combined 54-7 in his junior and senior seasons at Missouri power Kickapoo, which won a state championship in 2003 when he came off the bench. He carved out a starting role as a senior.

"He was the hardest matchup we had in trying to guard them," then-Parkiew coach Bill Brown told the News-Leader after DeForest totaled 16 points and six rebounds in a Kickapoo win on February 7, 2004. "He's a big strong kid that can go outside or drive a postman and can take you off the dribble."

DeForest went on to play at NCAA Division II member Drury University , where he played sparingly in three seasons before focusing on school.

Former Kickapoo and Creighton University star Anthony Tolliver, who went on to play 13 seasons in the NBA before becoming an investor, wasn't surprised his high school teammate found success in the comedy realm.

"Just a funny guy who was always in a good mood," Tolliver said. "He put others in a good mood, which is a skill set, and he was able to utilize it."

Tolliver, who kept in touch with DeForest throughout their adult lives, said the two had spoken shortly before his death in an effort to try and help get a childhood friend off the streets.

"Just a solid human being, all-around," Tolliver said. "My brain can't fathom that he is gone."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Kenny DeForest, comic who died Dec. 13, donated organs to 5 people