Christopher Thomas Kaag

Christopher Thomas Kaag, 50, of Wyomissing passed away on September 30, 2026, at the Reading Hospital after a lifelong battle with the degenerative nerve disease Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN). He was surrounded by his loving wife, Gretchen (Reed) Kaag, and his cherished son, Carter.

Born on September 11, 1976, in Cherry Point, NC, he was the son of the late Thomas Kaag and LuAnn Coniglio-Snyder, Mt. Joy, PA.

Chris grew up in Reading, PA, until his family moved to Canton, Ohio, when he was a high school sophomore. He graduated from Canton McKinley High School and was a proud member of the famed Bulldogs football team. As a high school senior, Chris enlisted in the Marines, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and uncle. At boot camp, Chris met Col. David Hart who impacted Chris's life forever with the words, "Don't quit on me, Kaag!" After graduating from boot camp, Chris specialized in avionics and was deployed to Aviano Air Base in Italy in 1996 during the Bosnia-Kosovo conflict. During Chris's second tour in Aviano, he noticed numbness and weakness in his lower body. He was diagnosed with AMN in February of 1998. Chris retired from the Marines in 1999 with the rank of Sergeant.

With his dream of becoming a Marine Corps drill instructor cut short, Chris returned to Reading and enrolled at Penn State University, Berks Campus, where he earned his Bachelor of Science and Business. While working for Wyomissing Health Club, Chris developed a following of people who appreciated his Marine Corps style workouts, team building physical challenges and "no excuses" mentality. In 2004, Chris founded Corps Fitness & CrossFit Berks, a unique approach to fitness that relied on the enthusiasm and tenacity of its leader and the camaraderie of its attendees. Corps Fitness served as much more than a gym. It became a training ground for boot camp preparation, a confidence builder for the new athlete and a source of constant inspiration for all its members.

In early 2004, Chris began raising funds for the Myelin Project, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing research, advocacy, and family support for AMN. Chris organized the Got the Nerve? Triathlon to support those efforts and to provide an opportunity for disabled athletes to compete alongside able-bodied athletes. In 2007, Chris changed the focus of his fundraising efforts when he established the IM ABLE Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which continues to serve thousands of individuals living with physical, cognitive, mental and/or behavioral challenges. Chris's generosity and big heart led him to create many of the programs that define the organization today: Adaptive Equipment grants, IM STRONG, IM FIT, and Operation Lead from the Front. Chris served as the President/CEO of IM ABLE for over 15 years.

Chris's fighting spirit and resilience allowed him to accomplish so much in his life. He competed in the Marine Corps Marathon and won first place in the handcycle division, raced in the New York City marathon, mountain biked in Moab, Utah, went scuba-diving in the Cayman Islands, skied at Jack Frost Mountain, and made many trips to the Pinnacle overlook along the Appalachian Trail, always surrounded by countless friends and family. In 2026, he published his memoir, "Don't Quit on Me."

Chris earned many accolades throughout his career, including: Induction into the Central Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame as a Courageous Athlete (2008), Penn State Alumni Achievement Award honoring outstanding young alumni (2009), PSU Berks Commencement Speaker (2010), a Pennsylvania State Resolution by the House of Representatives (2012), the American Red Cross Community Impact Hero Award (2015), the Greater Reading Rising Star Award (2015), PPL Foundation's Bright Light Award (2020), induction into the Move United Sports Hall of Fame (2022), Grand Marshal of the Wyomissing Memorial Day Parade (2025), and was most recently honored through Bayada's Salute to Service pinning ceremony (2026).

In 2025, Chris was named Adaptive Motivator of the Year at the annual IM ABLE Bash while serving as the Chief Motivational Officer for the organization. Through it all, Chris continued to inspire - as a dad, a friend, a leader, a brother, a husband and a Marine. Even in his final days, he used every ounce of strength he had left to offer his "thumbs up" when he liked something that was said. His legacy will surely live on through his family and the thousands of people that he inspired.

Chris married the love of his life, Gretchen, on August 21, 2009, and they celebrated the birth of their son, Carter Thomas on April 5, 2013.

In addition to his wife and son, Chris is survived by his step-mother, Diane (Borneman) Kaag-Senior, wife of Stew, Denver, PA, and his mother LuAnn, wife of Bryan, Mt. Joy, PA; brothers, Eric Kaag, husband of Melody, Reinholds, PA, Patrick Kaag, West Reading, and Corey Weidman, husband of Kristin, Manheim, PA; sisters Kelley (Kaag) Eddinger, wife of PJ, Bath, PA; Emily (Kaag) Dougherty, wife of Jim, Aston, PA; and Katie (Kaag) Roman, wife of Charles, Philadelphia. He is also survived by his nephews, Tyler and Collin Kaag, Eli and Owen Lentz, and Parker Eddinger; and his nieces, Kassidy Means, Clara Lentz, and Riley Dougherty, and his loyal caregiver Jared Dobrosky.

The Kaag family would like to thank the incredible team at Reading Hospital for their expert and compassionate care for Chris.

A visitation will be held Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 6 to 8 PM at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home in West Reading. A visitation will be held on Friday, October 9, from 10 AM - 12 PM at Redner's Event Center, followed by a service beginning promptly at noon. At the conclusion of the service, friends and family are welcome to stay for a reception and fellowship . Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home is honored to serve the Kaag family. Condolences may be expressed at kuhnfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Carter's 529 College Fund at Ugift529.com, please use the code for Carter (55J-Z1G). All proceeds from the sales of Chris's memoir, which is available on Amazon, will also support Carter's college fund.