More than a mascot

In moments of weakness, I like to rely on what strengths I do have. I think most of us work that way. For many in the UNC family, myself included, now is a time of great sadness.

The Tar Heels lost a basketball game on Sunday -- and with it went a chance at a National Championship.

Jason Ray lost his life this morning -- and with him go dreams, hopes and a legacy that will last longer than the memory of this basketball season.

You tell me which is more important.

It's a time of weakness for the UNC campus, for Jason's friends and family, and even for folks who never knew him.

Fortunately for me, I knew him. That's made the last couple of days difficult. But the pain that I -- and so many others -- have felt (and are still feeling) is only a testament to the great man that Jason Ray was.

It's a time of weakness -- and all I know to do right now is write. So I'm going to tell you about what I know of JRay.

Many of you may now know him as Rameses -- the UNC mascot. Jason played the part of Rameses for the last three years, and was in East Rutherford, NJ last week to cheer on the Tar Heels in the Sweet 16. All that went sour, though, on Friday afternoon, when he was hit by an SUV outside of his hotel. He suffered massive head injuries and a broken hip. Despite the prayers and pleas of many, he died this morning at 8:38.

I was lucky to learn so much more about Jason Ray over the last three years than what has been splashed across television screens and websites the last several days. To say I knew him well would be a stretch. But I knew him well enough to benefit from his vibrance.

He lived in the apartment across from mine when I was a student at UNC. I was good friends with his roommates, and I saw him from time to time in the parking lot or at random gatherings. Whenever we were in the same place, we'd be sure to say hello to each other. Whenever I'd go back to visit Chapel Hill during the last seven months since I've moved here, to Eastern North Carolina, we'd seek each other out at church, and make a point in saying hello. I'm going to miss that -- a lot.

Although he couldn't say anything back, I'd always be sure to give him a pat on the back or a quick "hello" when I was at a sporting event and he'd pass by dressed as Rameses. He'd return the pat on the back, or offer a strong handshake -- which is fitting, because JRay was a strong, strong man.

Strong in his faith. Strong in his relationships. And strong in his passion for Carolina.

I spent some time with some of my closest friends this weekend -- and we tried hard to make sense of this tragedy. I don't think we ever managed to come up with a reason for why something like this could happen to someone like JRay.

We were certain of a few things, though. Few people we've ever met were as radiant and vibrant as Jason. He was truly so full of life. His personality was addictive -- and there was no way you could have a conversation with him and not walk away feeling encouraged.

He was a leader in InterVarsity, a Christian fellowship on campus. His faith that he lived out and displayed every day makes me certain that I know exactly where he is right now.

But it's that same faith that I hope will have an impact on people for some time to come. In life, for most folks, JRay was a symbol of our university when he dressed up like Rameses. He represented one of the most powerful, most elite and most storied colleges in the United States.

In death, I hope he remains a symbol -- of love, of courage, of youthful exuberance and of a life fully dedicated to Christ. To borrow a line from Tim Nelson, of ABC 11 TV in Raleigh, JRay was much, "much more than the man behind the mascot." He was the man who stood behind his friends, and stood up for what he believed in.

I hope people will be able to take a long, hard look at what exactly Jason believed in, and what (or Who) he lived his life for. He's responsible for countless smiles, high fives and good times at Carolina basketball and football games -- but I think he can be responsible for revival at UNC. If more people lived like JRay, the world would certainly be a much better place.

"Jason was a wonderful son, brother and friend," his brother, Allen, said through a news release. "He leaves behind a legacy of friendship, laughter, excitement for life and a genuine love for all the people he touched during his all-too-short life."

That's not an exaggeration. That's the honest-to-goodness truth. Anyone who knew Jason would tell you the same thing.

"He may have performed in the anonymity that comes with playing the mascot, but his life has had an overt and lasting impact on the people whose lives he touched," said UNC Athletics Director Dick Baddour.

Normally I don't agree with what Baddour has to say. But in this case, I couldn't agree more.

"His legacy will be one of caring and joy, of hard work and enthusiasm for life," said UNC Chancellor James Moeser. But I'd take it a step farther. His legacy will be one of passion for his friends, his family and his Father -- passions that we could all learn something from.

I, like many folks, am doing a little bit of hurting right now. But not as much as his family and close friends -- both at Carolina and from Concord, his hometown. So please, keep them in your prayers. And keep JRay's legacy alive.

If you'd like to contribute financially to doing that, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Jason Kendall Ray Memorial Fund, Concord Christian Church, 3101 Davidson Highway, Concord, NC 28027.

But the easiest way you can keep his spirit alive is to pass it along. Live each day with a smile, a sense of humor and a sense of purpose.

This picture really struck me today -- and though its meaning has changed a bit since Jason has passed, it's still moving -- and shows how JRay impacted so many -- even folks he may have never known:


We'll miss you, JRay.