How’s Kenny?

By Jamie Gardner | October 29, 2026 |

That’s a question Simikia Wright is probably asked every day about her husband, Kenny Wright. Most Appling Countians know Kenny. He has faithfully served the community as a deputy with the Appling County Sheriff’s Office for 29 years, rising to the rank of captain. In addition, Kenny has served as captain over court security and civil processes.
The late Wilbur Sr. and Beatrice Wright of Baxley had 14 children; Kenny is the youngest. He has lived in the community his entire life. Simikia and Kenny have been married for 27 years, and they have two sons, Kaleb and Kyle.
During his years with the sheriff’s department, Kenny served under Sheriff Lewis Parker, Sheriff Benny Deloach, and current Sheriff Mark Melton. He has received numerous acknowledgments and accolades for his work as a deputy, including a recent induction as an Active Life Member of the Georgia Peace Officers Association. Kenny also served as sergeant-at-arms for the association for 15 years.
On September 29, 2024, the unimaginable happened to Kenny and his family. While directing traffic near a gas station at the intersection of Highway 15 and U.S. 1, Kenny collapsed amid the chaos as the community struggled to make sense of the worst natural disaster it had ever experienced…Hurricane Helene. He was transported to Appling HealthCare and then airlifted to Memorial Hospital in Savannah. By the way, this was supposed to be Kenny’s day off, but because of Hurricane Helene, it was all hands on deck for emergency personnel and law enforcement.
Once in Savannah, the prognosis was not good. Kenny had suffered a life-threatening hemorrhagic stroke, the type of stroke that is often fatal. Simikia and the family held firmly to their faith and refused to accept anything other than the hope that Kenny would eventually return home.
Kenny spent an extended period in hospitals and treatment facilities, including time receiving intensive rehabilitation at Brooks Rehabilitation, in Jacksonville. Simikia says the Brooks treatment helped Kenny tremendously. He was able to spend several weeks at the facility until the insurance company refused to continue paying for his treatment. According to Simikia, the insurer said it had reached its payment limit for that type of care.
On February 14, 2025—Valentine’s Day—Kenny returned home after nearly five months away. Now confined to a wheelchair because of paralysis caused by the stroke, Kenny has the support of his family doing its very best to make him feel at home. He was able to receive some light rehabilitation and physical therapy locally, but it is not at the intensive level Kenny truly needs.
The Wrights have received little assistance with in-home care or transportation to and from doctors’ appointments. Simikia reported that a single trip to see Kenny’s doctors in Savannah, via medical transport, costs the family approximately $500.00 that they pay out of pocket.
Simikia said she was able to find someone to stay with Kenny during the weekdays while she is at work. She is an educator with the Appling County School System and works at Altamaha Elementary School. Once again, the family is paying out of pocket for Kenny’s weekday care.
Simikia told the newspaper that the family has encountered difficulties with Appling County’s health insurance and workers’ compensation coverage throughout this journey. In fact, the family and Kenny’s doctors have been unable to secure the intensive rehabilitation he needs because of the high cost of specialized treatment and the lack of coverage through insurance and worker’s compensation. The Wrights have even had to retain a workers’ compensation attorney to assist with their claim. To date, according to the family, the county’s workers’ compensation coverage has not paid any of the costs associated with Kenny’s emergency surgery, hospital treatment, or rehabilitation.
Now, I don’t know about you, but Kenny was out working for this community when he collapsed during one of the most difficult times in our county’s history. Wouldn’t a person consider that to be the very definition of a workers’ compensation claim.
Since May 2025, the Wrights have been battling to get workers’ compensation to step up to the plate, so to speak. The coverage is provided through the county’s enrollment in the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Group Fund. The first judge to review Kenny’s workers’ compensation case in Waycross approved his claim. However, the ACCG workers’ compensation attorney appealed the decision, and an appellate court in Atlanta reversed the original ruling and denied the claim. Kenny’s attorney has now filed another appeal, and that hearing is scheduled to be held in Appling County Superior Court on November 16 at 1:30 p.m.
Throughout all this back-and-forth, Kenny still desperately needs more intensive rehabilitation.
Kenny’s favorite saying is, “I am my brother’s keeper.” Let’s hope and pray that decisions will be made in the near future to show Kenny that others are his “brother’s keepers,” too.
Kenny and Simikia are deeply thankful to the community for the support, prayers and encouragement they have received.
“I just thank everyone for all they’ve done for Kenny and our family,” said Simikia. “He is a true son of Appling County.”