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	Photo by Graham Cullen From left, Pastor Albert Lane, along with the Hayek family, Bailey, 15, Robin, Brian and Evan, 7, stand near a piece of property that will be the site of a new baseball field in honor of Jeffrey Hayek, who died two years ago.

But in late June of that summer two years ago, Jeff became nauseous and began feeling intense headaches. He was flown to the Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

Despite efforts from doctors and other specialists, Jeff died six days later from a blood clot deep in the lower left side of his brain.

While Jeff may not grace this earth, his presence and legacy still lives on in the area.

Because of Jeff's passion for baseball, his parents, Brian and Robin Hayek, have launched the Jeffrey Hayek Memorial Fund in hopes of building a pristine baseball field in Urbana called "Jeffy's Field," which will feature a Green Monster and an irrigation system, for use by kids across the county.

The life of Jeffrey

Born Oct. 24, 1996, Jeffrey Robert Hayek was a bundle of joy, with his trademark auburn red hair and a nose that stuck out. Unlike his older sister, Bailey, and younger brother, Evan, Jeff was calm and kept to himself.

"Jeff was our quiet guy," Robin Hayek said. "He was right by our side all the time and never acted up."

As soon as he hit 4 years old and was eligible to play, Jeff's parents signed him up for tee ball. The games were slow as the kids were at an age where they can be more interested in picking dandelions than fielding balls, but Jeff began to find his passion.

He wasn't an all-star right off the bat, but he loved playing the game. It was his "thing" that made him different from his siblings. The first baseman and pitcher began to thrive as a star in his final few years playing.

"Jeff was a kid who was just beginning to find his calling as a 10-year old," Ralph Ringler, a family friend, said. "He was really blossoming as a baseball player. He loved to play."

Jeff would play the final few years with his cousin Ross, who became his best friend. Ross lived close to the Hayeks and would hang with Jeff all the time. The two would have sleepovers and sneak root beers together.

Jeff especially became a master of the videogame Madden NFL, running up the score as he played as the Ravens. But he wasn't inside a lot. He was an energetic kid, running around the neighborhood playing capture the flag and basketball with his friends.

As far as being a student, Jeff would always finish his work. He started playing snare drum for the school band and also sang in the chorus. Most of all, Jeff was a good kid who did not to get in trouble with anyone.

"There was a time where we were on a walk and Jeff stopped," Robin Hayek said. "He says, 'Mom, No. It says no trespassing. We're not allowed to go.'"

But on a Wednesday morning in late June of 2007, Jeff woke up with a headache. Hours later, Jeff was crying and vomiting non-stop so his parents rushed him to the hospital.

Doctors in Frederick first thought Jeff was dehydrated because he pitched the final game of the season the weekend before. After running a CAT scan, it appeared Jeff had a bleed in his head and doctors flew him to the Children's National Medical Center. Jeff was kept at the hospital for the next six days as specialists tried to figure out how to treat and cure him.

"We just had to watch his condition deteriorate over the last few days to the point where Jeff couldn't handle it anymore," Brian Hayek said. "Doctors were reading through their medical books because they just didn't know what to do."

Around 11 p.m. on June 26, 2007 Jeff died of a Central Venous Sinus Thrombosis, or a blood clot deep in his head. It was later discovered that the youngster had multiple blood abnormalities that, coupled with an ear infection and dehydration, led to the blood clot.

"When you think of what personifies a sweet, little angel, that is exactly who Jeff was," Robin Hayek said. "He was so sweet and he would never do anything to make fun of someone and hurt them."

Jeffy's Field

Immediately following Jeff's death, his parents starting thinking of a way to memorialize him that would make a difference in the long term. His condition was not one that people could simply contribute to a fund for a cure, such as cancer.

Then came the meeting with Pastor Bert Lane of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick . Lane came over to the Hayek's household to comfort the family and learn more about who Jeff was as a person since the church would be holding a funeral. When Jeff's passion for baseball arose in conversation, Lane immediately thought of the new area of land the church recently bought.

"When the Hayek's bounced the idea of a baseball field, I presented the information about recreational fields at the new church campus in Urbana ," Lane said. "I asked them if they would be interested in adopting the field. It seemed like the fitting thing to do."

The location is a 44-acre campus west of the Md. 75/80 junction in Urbana . Along with being a place to worship, the area will be a park with two fields: a general field for soccer, football and lacrosse along with a baseball diamond.

After adopting the field location, Brian Hayek moved on to figuring out how to make this idea into reality. Working alongside his friend Ralph Ringler, Hayek spoke with Ripken Management and Design to get a plan. The company donated the design of the field and laid out the costs for building it.

"The goal is to build a pristine baseball field that will be a shining star in the community," Brian Hayek said. "It will be a field where kids will be excited and proud to play on."

The design calls for a replica Green Monster in left field, modeled after the Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park. The wall will rise 24 feet and have a cover that extends behind the wall to accommodate batting cages, so that fielding and batting practice can happen at the same time.

The field will meet all Little League standards with a 60-foot base path. There will be above ground dugouts so parents can see their kids and an irrigation system so kids can play on days when it rains.

"Jeffy's Field will be a field where all kids can play on," Jim Arnold of Ripken Management and Design said. "The kids can hear Jeff's story, but also enjoy the game he loved. We wanted to design something good enough for Jeff's memory."

Ripken Management estimates the cost of the field will be a half-million dollars.

The Jeffrey Hayek Memorial Fund

Brian and Robin Hayek also needed to find a place for donations. They went to the Community Foundation of Frederick County, that set up a fund called the Jeffrey Hayek Memorial Fund.

In order for the Hayek family to use any of the money, it must go through the foundation's board of trustees, who will make a decision based on the fund's purpose.

"We agreed the purpose of the fund will be to support the advancement of baseball, including fields and equipment, in the Frederick county region," foundation spokesperson Betsy Day said. "The preference will be with kids who have financial hardship or disabilities."

During the past two years, the family has raised more than $100,000 for the fund, but are a long way off from the ultimate goal. Starting this year, the family also decided to set aside money each year to donate to a group or organization.

In May, the family donated $1,000 of the fund to the Boy's and Girl's Club of Frederick County. The money will be used to buy equipment to start a baseball program in the club.

"Our group is mostly comprised of urban kids who are used to playing basketball, but have never been exposed to baseball," Karen Murphy McClain, director of the Boy's and Girl's club, said. "It's inspirational to take the loss of something so precious as a child and turn it into a legacy."

The kids at the club who expressed initial interest in baseball also received a glove and a ball from Brian Hayek when he came to deliver the check.

The Hayek family will set aside a $3,000 grant every year from the fund. Groups can apply for the money by explaining how they will further youth baseball in Frederick County.

Jeffrey's legacy

Since Jeff's death two years ago, the family has organized many events in his honor to help raise funds for Jeffy's field. Brian Hayek, with the help of his company, also started the website jeffysfield.com, which is home to information about Jeff's life and the field.

There have been community softball games, basketball tournaments, and haircut-a-thons for the fund. Recently, there was silent auction that raised more than $15,000.

The website also has a section to purchase T-shirts representing Jeff. The shirts have been worn in places across the world, from Hawaii to Great Britain to China.

While there have been many obstacles to overcome in the process of building Jeffy's Field, the family is still in a fundraising mode in hopes of putting their dream into reality. Donations can be made through the Community Foundation online.

Once the field is built, it will be unique to the community. Not many kids have the opportunity to play on a field of this caliber growing up, Brian Hayek said.

"I would like to think one day Jeffy's Field would become a brand name representing baseball instruction and opportunity in Frederick County," Hayek said. "While the pain will always be there, it is great to give kids an opportunity that he did not have."