Herd

James Paul Gracey, often referred to as Jimmy, was the young man who inspired the Herd app. Jimmy was a dearly loved 20 year-old college student who adored hockey, being with his family and younger siblings, and spending time with his fraternity brothers and friends. He was known for his perfectly timed sarcasm, humor, kindness, and faith.

Jimmy was playfully mischievous. When his younger sister was leaving for college at the University of Tampa, Jimmy and his aunt filled her entire car with toilet paper as a prank.

Jimmy was also a young man of character. He played hard to win in the hockey rink, but often helped opponents get up and shook their hands if they bested him on the ice. Jimmy was gracious and went out of his way to show it. He once stayed at a friend’s home and both texted and called the friend’s mother afterward to convey his thanks. The friend’s mother was so touched that she called Jimmy’s mother to share the story. Jimmy’s mother wasn’t surprised; that was Jimmy.

In March of 2026, Jimmy was in Spain on spring break. He left a venue alone one night and without his phone; it had been stolen. Jimmy could not reach the friends he was in Spain with or get back to his rental property. He tried to keep himself safe that night but tragically lost his life. It continues to be an unbelievable loss for his family, friends and community.

The creators of Herd are close friends of the Gracey family. We want everyone to be able to reach their people, as quickly as possible, when they are vulnerable. Being alone and without our phones and contact information makes us vulnerable. We hope with Herd, others will find safety when they need it.

Jimmy’s chosen home away from home was the University of Alabama. In honor of that, Herd was designed using Bama’s mascot, an elephant.

When he was a little boy, Jimmy recorded a video of himself on his mom’s phone. In the video, Jimmy sums himself up, saying: “This is Jimmy, he’s videotaping with the camera. He likes to videotape so much. He loves stories. And why he loves stories… is because he loves people.” That was Jimmy.

The world is already a better place because Jimmy Gracey was here. We hope the Herd app adds to that legacy.