Jeffrey was born in Miami, Florida on September 27, 1989. At birth, he weighed less than two pounds. His birth mother took him immediately to the hospital where they were able to save his life and get him off to a good, healthy start.

In November 1990, at 13 months old, Jeffrey joined our family in Key West. He was truly a gift from God!

This photograph of Jeffrey as a baby was taken just two days after he became our son. Jeffrey already had that signature smile! He was a happy baby - always smiling!

Texas

In December 1990, we moved to Sulfur Springs, Texas. Jeffrey took his first steps and picked up his first basketball in Texas. From the first moment he held that basketball, playing ball became a passion for him. Jeffrey celebrated his second birthday in Texas.

Jeffrey loved his sisters, Martha and Carla, very much. Instead of calling them Martha and Carla, he called them "Marney" and "Honey." He had them wrapped around his little fingers. They were like little moms to him. They loved him so very much!  

Washington, DC

A year later, we moved to the Washington DC area. Jeffrey found another love in addition to basketball. He became a fan of country music - specifically Brooks and Dunn.

I am sure this may surprise some of his friends, but from the time Jeffrey was about three until he was in the 2nd or 3rd grade, he was completely country! He would only wear black jeans, cowboy boots, flannel shirts and of course a cowboy hat.

His favorite songs were 'The Whiskey Ain't Working Anymore' and 'Burn Me Down' by Marty Stuart and 'Brand New Man' by Brooks and Dunn. He sang them all the time... in grocery stores, at church, everywhere! For his 3rd birthday, all he wanted was a guitar!

Kentucky - Childhood

In 1993 we moved back to Kentucky. Jeffrey's grandmother, Elsie Hartman (Mo), had cancer. Jeffrey loved sitting on 'Mo's' lap. He would sit with her for hours. And, he loved going anywhere and everywhere with his 'Grandy,' Rufus Hartman, Jr.  Jeffrey was only three, but began his first string of accidents. He managed to back his Grandy's truck into a house at the Country Boy store in Sharpsburg. He topped that by running over himself in his Dad's pickup truck. God kept Jeffrey safe during those accidents. God had big plans for Jeffrey.

North Middletown Elementary School

In the fall of 1993 Jeffrey started preschool at North Middletown Elementary School. There he met some of his closest friends. Ryan Foley, Ben Bridges, Quinton Hutchison, Caleb VanHoose, and many others. This group of boys became very close - as close as brothers.

Jeffrey started playing basketball at the YMCA as soon as he was old enough. He played in the YMCA leagues every year until he was old enough to help referee the games. He loved basketball in every possible form. Playing, reffing, coaching and watching. As a 5th grader Jeffrey had his first official basketball tryouts for a school team. He played for North Middletown Elementary.

North Middletown also had an Amateur Softball League. Jeffrey started at the T-ball level and played through all levels. He enjoyed pitching, but was also a valuable 3rd baseman. He could throw from third to first accurately and consistently.

America's Promise

America's Promise was founded in 1997 centered around an effort to make youth a national priority. General Colin Powell, chairman of America's Promise officially welcomed Kentucky into the organization at the Alumni Coliseum at Eastern Kentucky University.

Jeffrey was chosen by the EKU staff to participate in the America's Promise event. Jeffrey met General Powell unofficially in the bathroom prior to the ceremony. During the ceremony Jeffrey presented a gift to him on behalf of the EKU students. 

Jeffrey was the youngest presenter on the stage that day. The older presenters each gave a short statment saying who they were and what their presentation represented. Jeffrey simply said, "General, I have a gift for you." General Powell replied to the audience, "I like this kid!"

North Middletown Christian Church

Jeffrey was baptized at North Middletown Christian Church by Rev. John Opsata. He was baptized on the same day as his good friends Molly Norton, Mary Evans, Chelsea McFarland and Stephanie Lutes.

Jeffrey was active in the NMCC youth group. His church family was important to him and at NMCC he felt greatly loved. He enjoyed joking around with Jimmy McFarland.

In 2003 Jeffrey participated in the NMCC youth mission trip to Camp WAKON'DA-HO. The youth group and the adult leaders helped build an outdoor shelter and enjoyed Christian fellowhip and study.

Bourbon County Middle School

Jeffrey played for the school each of the three seasons - 6th, 7th and 8th grades. His 8th grade coach, Coach Mark Shearer, taught him how to tie a tie for the dress up days. Coach Shearer and Coach Ramsey inspired in Jeffrey the desire to become a basketball coach someday.  

In middle school Jeffrey found even more very good friends. Matt Wigglesworth, Nate McCombs, Brandon Vargas, Kat, Shay, Brett, Trey and so many others.

Jeffrey thought of Kat and Shay as his sisters. He loved them both very much. They remained close all through middle school and high school. I believe they did most of his homework.

Bourbon County High School

Many of Jeffrey's friendships were formed at Bourbon County. Scooter Robinson and Tyson Jones watched out for Jeffrey during his freshman year. Scooter, Katherine (Kat) White and Shay Davis became even closer friends during high school. The friendships that began in preschool with Ryan Foley and Ben Bridges were still as strong as ever. As Jeffrey became a sophomore and a junior, he made friends with younger ball players and helped them like Scooter and Tyson had helped him. Those friends include Dejon Fields, Maurice Hogue, Andrew Kenny and others.

Jeffrey played Freshman, Junior Varsity and Varsity basketball at Bourbon County High school through his junior year.

One of his most exciting games at BCHS was in the Kentucky Bank Shootout. In the Bourbon County Citizen, Ivan Rice reported "Jeff Dailey was a spark off the bench for the Colonels during their 67-51 victory over Wolfe county..." 

Montgomery County High School

Jeffrey's senior year was spent at Montgomery County High School. He immediately made many friends. Among those friends were Garrett and Joe Gibbons. Not only were they as close as brothers, they actually became brothers when their parents married.

Jeffrey was a member of the Montgomery County High School basketball team. It was emotionally a rough year for him, though. The KHSAA had ruled him ineligible to play for one year because he had played varsity at Bourbon County. We appealed their decision and the matter remained in civil courts for most of his senior year. Jeffrey did get to play basketball for Montgomery County, but it was under very restricted conditions.

Although it was difficult for Jeffrey to spend more time on the bench than on the floor, he turned it into a positive experience that made him even stronger. He supported the rest of the team and practiced hard every day.

Jeffrey, Garrett & Joe's Summer Vacation

After graduation, Jeffrey, Garrett and Joe spent the summer just having fun. They went to Houston for a couple of weeks. It was their first true road trip without any parents along. Mick printed them a folder of detailed directions. Before they were out of Kentucky, he received their first phone call asking for clarification. At the first stop they made for gas and snacks, they left the directions at the gas station. Mick talked them the rest of the way to Houston turn by turn!

After returning to Kentucky, Jeffrey spent some time in Florida with his friend Brandon Vargas. He really enjoyed the time with Brandon and his family.While in middle school, Brandon and Jeffrey became very close friends. When Brandon and his family moved to Florida, they kept in touch, talking often and maintaining their friendship. Each summer, either Brandon would visit Jeffrey in Kentucky or Jeffrey would go to Florida to see Brandon. They remained as close as brothers even with the geographical distance that separated them.

College Freshman - Bluegrass Community & Technical College, UK Campus 

After graduating from MCHS and enjoying a summer vacation with his brothers, Jeffrey enrolled in BCTC. The first two weeks he changed his schedule at least four times. Jeffrey wanted to become a teacher and to coach basketball. He was very interested in the study of Criminal Justice.

Jeffrey's first day at Bluegrass was very frustrating for him. It was his first day to drive alone to the UK campus. After class, Jeffrey could not find his car. The first thing he did was to call me in North Carolina. Knowing that I had no idea where his car might be, I suggested he call Mick. Jeffrey and Mick called the UK campus security, spoke with the parking officials and tried to locate where the car may have been towed. Jeffrey also had a friend drive him through each of UK's parking lots. He finally located the car four hours later - exactly where he had left it!

Not only did Jeffrey change his class schedule several times, he also change his living arrangements! He first shared a house with Ryan Foley and a couple of other friends. He lived at home for awhile and he also shared an apartment with Lewis Boyer.

While he was a student at Bluegrass, he still found time to be on the basketball court. Coach Griesser, MCHS, gave Jeffrey the opportunity to observe and learn coaching skills as a student assistant for MCHS. Jeffrey truly enjoyed those months and was even more certain that he wanted coaching to be a part of his life.

Jeffrey

Like many college freshmen, Jeffrey did not do well his first year. He made many mistakes and errors in judgement.

To get a fresh start and to spend some quality time with his Dad, Jeffrey decided to go to Texas A&M Commerce. While there, he audited several classes and practiced with the A&M ball team. He was seriously considering attending Texas A&M in the fall.

The weekend before Jeffrey was to leave Kentucky for Texas, he and Mick traveled to North Carolina for a visit. Jeffrey toured the facility where his Mom had been working during the final phase of its construction.

Jeffrey and Mick did a lot of sightseeing. They went to the Duke and UNC campuses for a glimpse at those other schools' basketball traditions. On Saturday night the three of us went to the comedy club. Jeffrey laughed so much that night. We had a wonderful weekend together.

Before leaving North Carolina, Jeffrey left a note for me that I read every night before I go to sleep. In it are three sentences that are very important to me. I’m sharing them with all of you because these are words Jeffrey could easily want any of us to hear right now.

“I really enjoyed the quality time I got to spend with you before I had to go… Don’t worry about me, I’m gonna be ok… I love you. Love, Jeffrey”

Memorial Day Weekend

Jeffrey, Garrett and Joe joined us in North Carolina Memorial Day Weekend so that we could go to the Charlotte NASCAR race together. Jeffrey and Garrett flew in from Texas. Mick and Joe drove down from Kentucky.

After the weekend, instead of going back to Texas as originally planned. Jeffrey wanted to go home to Kentucky. He missed his friends and needed to be back home. He stayed with the Stull family while he began working and getting ready for the fall semester at Bluegrass.

During this time, Jeffrey rededicated his life to Christ and deepened his faith in God. Jeffrey took the time to make sincere apologies to some people who were very important to him.

Jeffrey had his life on track. He was working hard. He had definite goals and was determined to be successful in his life.

We're very proud of Jeffrey; who he was and who he will always be in our hearts.

Jeffrey was killed in a single vehicle accident on June 27, 2009.

We, his family and friends, were devastated by our loss. We are thankful for the time God allowed us to have with Jeffrey and we are happy for him that he's home.

Jeffrey loved well and was well loved by so many. A friend told me that Jeffrey had more impact and touched more lives in his 19 short years than most people can do in 70.

Gone from here, but not his spirit; never forgotten and always loved.