6 minute read
Dance Mom & Mayor's Wife: Jaclyn Connelly
CONNELLY Jaclyn
DANCE MOM & MAYOR'S WIFE
BY CHRISTINA RUOTOLO PHOTOS BY KRIS FAY
Being a mother of two young girls with bustling social calendars including dance, softball and soccer practice, along with being wife to the mayor of Greenville, Jaclyn “Jaci” Connelly is one busy mama. She has the ability to juggle many hats at once, but Mom is the hat she loves to wear most. This is just the tip of the iceberg for this month’s cover model and proud mom, 37 year-old Jaci Connelly, owner of Connelly Properties and Finley Kate Designs.
For Jaci, being a mom is her favorite and most rewarding job. She has two daughters who are her entire compass and loves watching them grow, find new hobbies to fall in love with, and she is there every step of the way cheering them on. “Mary Kate is 9 years old and began taking dance lessons when she was 2. She also plays softball. Mary Kate craves anything with sugar or fruit and she has a passion for arts and crafts like her mom. Mary Kate takes ballet, tap & jazz. She wants to begin hip hop & musical theatre in the fall. Caroline is 6 years old and began taking dance lessons when she was 3. She also plays soccer. She loves veggies and plays with Barbies. Caroline takes ballet, tap and jazz. Both girls love the trendy fidgit toys,” Jaci says. There is never a dull moment in Jaci’s world but being a mom is worth the long hours. She, like any mom worries about them making sure they are protected, given every opportunity to grow and succeed and know they are valued and loved with her whole heart.
For Jaci, her favorite part about being a mom is absolutely everything. “My girls are my forever best friends. It is truly the strongest bond of love. I love watching them dance and enjoy attending their sporting events,” she says. This is not to say that being a mom is smooth sailing. The hardest part about being a mom for Jaci is not letting her physical ailments and restraints get in the way of providing for her children. “It’s hard planning well balanced meals, saying ‘no’ and having energy to make it through the day. Being a mom with daily chronic pain from arthritis can be a struggle at times, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” she states. Jaci also suffers from debilitating arthritis and has trouble walking without using ankle braces which stemmed from illnesses in her youth. It eventually led to her to being paralyzed twice. The first time, she was in the hospital unable to walk for several months. “I was completely paralyzed twice with Guillain-Barre Syndrome when I was a child. I now have residual nerve damage in my feet. I am thankful everyday for how far I have come,” Jaci says. Even with pain and nerve damage, she does her best to not let it get in the way of creating daily memories and spending quality time with her daughters and family.
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Contributed Photo
Contributed Photo
Being a mom can be hard, being a mom with illness can be hard too, but it gives her great joy to be a wife as well, to mayor of Greenville, PJ Connelly. They have made Greenville, NC their home for the last 19 years. Being the mayor’s wife affords Jaci and her daughters wonderful opportunities to attend events for so many wonderful residents and organizations in the community. “My daughters love watching their dad help others and grow Greenville in so many amazing ways,” Jaci says.
Before Jaci set her sights on college at East Carolina University, she grew up in the Bay Area in California until she was ten, then her family moved to Carteret County, NC. She eventually moved to Greenville to attend East Carolina University for college and moved into the dorm, Cotten Hall which is just steps from the iconic fountain. ECU is where she met her now husband, PJ. “My best friend Jo was dating a baseball player, so we pulled up the ECU Baseball roster and I chose PJ. She then had PJ meet me at a party and the rest is history,” she says. Jaci earned a BS in Health Services Management with a minor in Pre-Med Studies. She was also inducted into Tri Beta Biology Honor Society while in college. PJ earned his degree in finance and also played baseball for the ECU Pirates. Both, Jaci and PJ earned their NC Brokerage license after attending college.
Not only is she proud to be a mom, but a wife too. Jaci and PJ love living in Greenville and being part of the community that is so welcoming. “I love how Greenville has a small town feel with so much to offer. I also love all the beautiful greenway trails. I have so many friends that I have grown close with over the years.”
Jaci’s favorite part about being the Mayor’s wife is getting the opportunity to meet so many amazing people. “I love meeting so many kind and genuine people. I also love knowing our family can help make a difference in the community,” she says.
When not selling houses, accounting and being a mom, Jaci enjoys painting, jewelry design, sewing, decorating, organizing everything, antique shopping, Pilates, tennis and walking. In her younger years, she enjoyed soccer and dance. For her the perfect day is spending simple and unhurried time with her family. “I enjoy the simple life. I’m not a fan of packing for vacations and being on the go 24-7. I am very content just going for a walk, being in the sunshine and shopping,” Jaci says.
The future for this Greenville mom is just getting started. Jaci is looking forward to watching her girls grow into confident young women, continuing to support her husband grow and nurture the community and to grow her own businesses. “I can’t wait to see what the future holds for our family. Many years ago, in high school we voted on superlatives and I remember mine was ‘most likely to be an entrepreneur.’ Somehow, I have used this to help motivate me to do my best. In the early days of marriage, it was tough to make ends meet, but somehow we managed to do it by pushing ourselves. Do what you love and never give up pursuing your dreams because you’re just getting started.”
Her Magazine — August 2022 www.reflector.com/her
