Jeff's Life and Career

Jeffery McDonald was awarded a three year scholarship to Princeton and was in the pre-med program. During his second year at medical school, Jeff's father died at the age of only 48. This greatly impacted Jeff's life and his brother, Jay, who became deeply involved with drugs and spiraled into alcoholism and drug addiction. In September of 1969, Jeff once again moved his family this time to Officers Quarters at Fort Bragg, the Army Base in North Carolina. He earned the title of Green Beret Captain and served as a military surgeon. By February 1970, Colette was pregnant with her third child,. And some of her friends reported that she and Jeff were not necessarily thrilled.