Mar 22, 2016 3 min read

The 22-year-old Carmichaels man killed in a crash Sunday night was a sports fan, musician and mentor who was “always trying to help people,” his mother said.

Jessy Daniels Dulaney, a Waynesburg University student and 2012 graduate of Carmichaels Area High School, died from injuries sustained in a crash on Interstate 79 just north of Morgantown, W.Va.

“You don’t think of burying your children,” Dulaney’s mother, Eileen, said. “You always think they’ll be the ones to bury you someday.”

Dulaney was traveling north about 10 p.m. Sunday when his vehicle crossed the median and rolled over several times, West Virginia state police said.

He and his passenger, Rachel Doty, 21, of Waynesburg, were both ejected from the vehicle. Doty, who was Dulaney’s college friend, remained in fair condition at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, a hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Dulaney was set to graduate from Waynesburg University in May with a psychology degree.

“He really enjoyed getting into psychology and was excited about what the future held for him in that profession,” Carmichaels head football coach Ryan Krull said.

Krull was an assistant coach when Dulaney played football for the high school team, and they kept in touch after Dulaney graduated.

“Jessy cared more about his neighbor than he did about himself, and these days, you don’t see that very often,” Krull said. “Jessy was friends with everybody and he was always positive.”

Carmichaels Superintendent John Menhart, the former head coach, said Dulaney “always had a smile on his face” while playing on the line.

“He wasn’t your typical athlete because he also appreciated the arts, took voice lessons and was involved in the drama program here. He was a hard worker who would do anything for you.”

Eileen said those singing lessons came in handy for Dulaney when he would sing and play his guitar at his church, Green Valley Church of God near Crucible.

“He was very much a man of faith,” she said. “All he ever wanted to do was help people.”

Eileen said she’ll always remember Jessy mentoring young athletes in high school. He was also a mentor for his 18-year-old brother, Shawn.

“He was one of the reasons I joined the high school football team,” Shawn said. “I always looked up to him.”

Shawn said he and Jessy used to bond over wrestling, hunting and fishing with their dad, Gary Dulaney.

“We used to always watch wrestling together and we’d have our own matches on the trampoline,” Shawn said. “I’m going to miss talking to him. He’d get home from college and I’d get home from high school and we’d just talk about things and about how our days went.”

Dulaney also has two sisters Samantha Dulaney and Dorothy Lewis. Eileen said she’s thankful for the support she and her family has received from the community.

“We have a lot of friends and people from the school that have been helping us,” she said.

Waynesburg University’s Newman Club, a Roman Catholic group on campus, held a mass Tuesday night dedicated to Dulaney and his family.

“During some existing events on campus, we’ve taken the time to come together to pray for comfort for his family,” university spokeswoman Ashley Wise said.