Hit event when falling - Z velocity is 0

I’m using the 3rd person template/player controller.

When I respond to the hit even when falling, my Z velocity (of ‘other’) is always zero.

It’s extremely odd to me because if I hit my head (ow) on the same object, the Z velocity has value. The X and Y have value when moving. The only time there is no value is when the character is falling. Of course, I could store the player last velocity, but surely the hit event isn’t supposed to just be telling me that landing on a kinematic physics body will set the velocity to zero.

Is there anything I’m doing incorrectly?