Axel G. Gray, DVM
I graduated from The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. I met Becky, my future wife, while in undergraduate school there. We married in 1985 and moved to the Isle of Palms area of Jacksonville. We founded Coastal Veterinary Hospital in the west beaches area. Becky and I had one employee when we opened but grew to five doctors and a staff of one hundred over the years. Coastal now includes a veterinary hospital, pet resort and doggie daycare business.
We moved to Palm Valley in 1993. Our two children, Rush and Murphy, graduated from Providence High School and The University of North Florida. Our daughter Murphy works as Marketing Director for Jax USA. Our son Rush manages Coastal Doggie Daycare and Coastal Veterinary Enterprises.
I enjoy playing golf, boating, motorcycling and collecting classic muscle cars. My favorite is a 1971 Dodge Challenger convertible that my dad bought new. I love living on the First Coast. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities year-round. We have the beaches and the intracoastal waterway to play on. We have the city and the Jaguars. We have a little touch of Tennessee living in the Palm Valley.
I coached youth soccer and football at Davis Park and Patton Park for over twenty years. I enjoyed the role of ‘Coach’ while watching my players grow over the seasons.
I have enjoyed helping ‘Pets and Their People”. Many of my first clients now have kids with pets and children of their own. I hope to be remembered as a good doctor and a mentor for my Coastal family. I have just retired this week after a forty-year career. I look forward to spending some time traveling with my family and playing more golf.
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Mike is a native First Coaster and was a leading figure in surfing and skateboarding for most of his life. After promoting music for many years on the local music scene, Mike now brings a unique perspective to FirstCoast.Life as a contributing writer.
