EMULATING JAY
Joseph “Jay” Vaughn III is three years and one day older than Everett. Earning his degree in construction science from A&M in two years, he is currently working towards his MBA at Harvard Business School, or in his words, “the Texas A&M of the north,” while also working at Opifex, a construction equipment rental company he founded in 2018.
“When I’m in a classroom at Harvard I feel just as, if not more, prepared than all of my classmates that went to Stanford, Notre Dame, Michigan, Harvard, Yale or Princeton,” Jay said. “To me, my education was just as good. It was a firm belief that was indoctrinated into me when I was 18 and now that I’m 23 it’s been validated by being outside of that network.”
And while his work ethic in the classroom is to be recognized, it was another obstacle, a crippling disease, that Everett has watched Jay battle all his life.
Jay was just four months old when he contracted polio. He lives with a left leg that doesn’t function below the knee and has limited function below the hip.
For the first half of his life, Jay was confined to a wheelchair. Then right before his freshman year of high school, he was fitted with a carbon-fiber brace that allowed him use of his leg. Then in high school he had progressed so much that he was able to play football and basketball.
“Everett saw that life struggle and knew he would never have to work that hard but he was always impressed with what his brother accomplished,” the boys’ father, Tom said. “Obviously Jay was a good mentor and a good example.”
“Jay has been the epitome of the ‘hard work gets you through anything’ and the ‘never say never’ story,” Everett said. “He’s been the one that’s instilled the work ethic, the drive and the attitude of ‘don’t take no for an answer.’”
WALKING ON AT A&M
As Everett began to grow - and then grow- and then grow - it became evident that his ability on the basketball court could lead to bigger and better things.
Already a good student, he and his high school went to a team camp at A&M the summer before his senior year. It was then that he asserted himself both on the court and off it.
“I reached out to the staff and told them I know I’m probably not the type of player you’re looking for but I’ve grown up an Aggie and I want to be an Aggie. If you ever have time just come watch me play,” Everett said.
Apparently he played well enough.
“I was touring a bunch of Ivy League schools and I really liked the idea of going to an Ivy League school and playing basketball,” Everett said. “But I got the walk-on opportunity and then all the Ivy League schools didn’t look as cool as A&M.”
A 6-10 forward, he would redshirt his first year on campus before making his collegiate debut in a 68-51 win over Missouri on February 4, 2020.
“It was very clear when I got here what my role was going to be. I was just so infatuated and in love - and still am - with being in the program and being at A&M,” Everett said. “When they threw me in I was surprised but it was awesome.”
Unfortunately, none of his family would be in the stands that Tuesday night. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t proud of him finally getting onto the hardwood and into the stat sheet.
“I think it’s special to get in the stat sheet at Texas A&M regardless of what it’s for,” Jay said of Everett committing a foul in his roughly 11 seconds of game action. “I told him he’s an enforcer.”
“It’s not about minutes on the court, it’s about getting better every day,” Tom said. “A&M has great facilities, great coaching and great people. When his basketball career is over he is going to be a better person and it’s not about how many minutes he got to play.”
