McNary HS lacrosse team dedicates season to late captain Jamison Proulx

KEIZER, Ore. (KPTV) - Jamison ‘Jami’ Proulx was a standout lacrosse player at McNary High School and planned on joining the Oregon State University squad with his twin brother, but that dream into a nightmare for his family when he died in a car crash last year.

The McNary High School lacrosse team is dedicating their season to their fallen captain from the class of 2022.

“It’s our duty to carry his name and number, every day and every time we step on this field,” said Kyler Donahue, senior at McNary.

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Jami was as intense as they come on the lacrosse field.

“He goes, ‘Dad, I never get hurt.’ He was a confident, cocky kid, a lot of fun, full of energy and he brought energy to the field, he really did,” said Jami’s father, Dan Proulx.

Jami was a senior captain alongside his twin brother, Jesse, for the Celtics. While Jesse now plays lacrosse at Oregon State, his fraternal twin brother is eternal in their hearts, minds and souls.

“Jesse will say it, half of him died when Jami died,” said Dan. “Many days we’ve just are thinking he is going to walk in the door. I just can see it, he’s coming home, but it’s not going to happen.”

The Proulx’s lost their son when Jami’s car veered off the road late at night and crashed into a tree not even a mile from their house in Aug. 2022.

The 18-year-old new graduate had been drinking and was not wearing a seatbelt.

“I would just tell everybody; graduation is coming and do not think you’re invincible because it can happen in an instant and life is precious,” said Dan. “We would always talk, ‘it would never happen to one of ours, it’s never going to happen to us. It can be close to you, but it’s not going to happen to our family,’ and it did.”

Jami was an impact player and person; that’s the memory the Proulx’s will always cherish about their son.

“People we did not know thanked us for raising him the way we did and how he impacted their child’s life. There is nothing that can make you more proud than that,” Dan said.

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McNary lacrosse is truly family and Jami will always be a part of it. This year, the Celtics retired Jami’s jersey, No. 14.

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