SPOKANE, Wash. — Four days after he was diagnosed with Leukemia, beloved Spokane musician Quindrey “Drey” Davis died. For the first time since his death, his wife is speaking out, sharing the legacy and love her husband left behind.
“It just didn’t feel real, that this could happen to him,” Allyson Davis, Drey’s wife, said.
The evening of October 14, Drey suddenly passed away after just recently finding out that his longtime illness was in fact Leukemia. He was only 29 years old.
He is survived by his wife, Allyson, five-year-old son, Cairo, and his daughter, Rhythm, who is due in December.
“His love was so deep, and my love was so deep for him, I felt that the need to just get to know every inch of him, and we did that,” Allyson said.
Allyson and Drey met when they were attending Eastern Washington State University, they were strangers but quickly became best friends, and then more.
“I remember watching him play, and I didn’t really know him, but I always went to all of his gigs,” Allyson said. “We fell in love and created a family together.”
The couple’s son, Cairo, is about to turn six years old – right now, he is planning his Halloween costume, and already planning to follow in his dad’s footsteps. He told his mom last night that he wants to be just like his dad, a drummer.
“He said, ‘we can’t get rid of any of his drums, I need them, I’m going to keep playing,’” Allyson said. “Just hearing that come out of a five-year-olds mouth, it’s saddening, but he’s right.”
Drey has had a love for music, for drumming, since childhood; he was only five when he started playing percussion for local churches growing up in Cheney. Allyson said Drey always knew his talents, though she said he was very humble, were a gift from God. She said when he played, he played for Him.
Two years ago, Drey auditioned and won his spot in the Spokane Jazz Orchestra, earning the opportunity to play alongside musicians you dream of.
“He always dreamed big, there was no end to his dreams,” Allyson said. “I know it was an honor for him to be able to play with them, but I think people would now say that it was a bigger honor to be able to play with him.”
Allyson went to every performance, beaming from the audience as she watched her husband play his heart out – winning over the hearts of strangers in the crowd.
“He was so humble,” she said. “I’d say, ‘you should see the people who talk about you, who don’t even know you, they’re sitting behind me like ‘oh my gosh, did you hear that drummer?’”
Allyson said every beat of the drum touched the souls of those who listened. Drey’s family and friends alike all say he was the kindest person they knew – always smiling so brightly, making others do the same.
Aside from the orchestra, Drey was entering his third year as band director at Northwest Christian Schools. In his spare time, he also taught private drumming lessons. Working endlessly, all to provide for his family.
“Making sure that we’d be okay,” Allyson said.
Drey had been feeling sick for a little over a year, but Allyson said the doctors he saw made it seem like it was just a bad bug that would not go away; maybe Bronchitis, maybe an inhaler could do the job.
But after a bad night, Drey went to the hospital on October 10 – there, he found out that this stubborn illness was in fact, Leukemia.
“I wish I would’ve told him to go sooner,” Allyson said.
Then four days later, Drey died. Allyson said he was surrounded by family and friends singing, surrounded by music.
“It just didn’t feel real, that this could happen to him,” she said.
A young life with incredible talent, love, and prosperity – gone too soon. The Davis family is planning a funeral for Drey to be held at Life Center Spokane on October 28. A huge celebration of life is also in the works for November 18 at Bing Crosby Theater.
Both events will be open to the public, however specific times have not yet been decided by the family.
A GoFundMe is live right now for Drey’s wife and kids, as they navigate funeral expenses, entering this next chapter without their lovely, Drey.
