On what would have been her birthday, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, posted a poignant ode to her late mother, Brenda Jackson. She posted a story on Instagram that brought back happy memories. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt’s mother, Brenda Jackson, died of cancer in 2019 at the age of 65. She was adored by both the NASCAR community and the Earnhardt family. Kelley conveyed a profound sense of grief and longing in an Instagram story, highlighting how much she misses her mother every day, not just on special occasions. She also remembered a happy occasion when she gave her mother a surprise vacation to Chicago for her fiftieth birthday.
“Birthdays for you were fun!” was the touching caption Kelley posted on her official Instagram account, commemorating her mother’s birthday. I miss you today and every day, mom! It was fifty. We took you to Chicago as a surprise. Jackson is the daughter of Robert Gee, a veteran NASCAR fabricator who created vehicles for a number of racers, including Dale Earnhardt Sr., a superstar in the sport. Jackson raised her two children after she and Dale Sr. parted ways, but they were left homeless by a house fire, so young Dale and Kelley moved in with their father. Jackson, meanwhile, moved to Virginia.
In 1985, she married Willie Jackson for the second time. They moved back to North Carolina after her husband retired. In 2004, Jackson began working for JRM as an accounting specialist. She sadly passed away in 2019. She was renowned for her steadfast devotion to her kids, Dale and Kelley. Kelley Earnhardt, who was close to her mother and saw her as a support system and cheerleader, commends her for making her Christmas special. In an interview with Graham Bensinger in 2020, Kelley talked about how her mother’s love and sacrifice shaped her early years. Despite living six hours away, she was pleased of her mother’s efforts to create memories with her kids, particularly during Christmas.
“From my mom’s point of view, she was an amazing parent,” Kelley remarked, recalling how her mother would travel great distances to pick her and her brother Dale Jr. up on Christmas Day. When Dale and I were kids, she lived six hours away. She did everything in her power to ensure that we visited her and created memories. I have really positive memories of my time spent with my mother as I reflect on my early years. On Christmas Day, we would hop into the car with her.
At five o’clock, we would simply wait for her to come get us at the door. On Christmas Day, she was permitted to pick us up at five o’clock. From Norfolk, Virginia, it took her six hours to drive. We joined her in the car and made the six-hour drive back. At precisely midnight, we would arrive at her place and celebrate Christmas. [2:05] In addition to co-owning JR Motorsports with her brother, Dale Jr., Kelley Earnhardt serves as its CEO.
