'Ray of hope' legacy lives on in others
By: Jenny Tang, Staff Writer
Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: University
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As a tribute to Ray, who played UNC's mascot for three years and died last spring, ESPN's news show "E:60" featured the highlights of that legacy Tuesday evening.
About 50 people attended a campus viewing of the feature, which showed the important roles Ray played without the Rameses mask - a Bible study leader, a college band member and an organ donor.
Ray died last spring after he was struck by a sport utility vehicle in New Jersey, where he was set to perform as Rameses for the UNC men's basketball team during the NCAA tournament.
"He gave his all to everything he did," said junior Brad Lockwood, who Ray mentored and taught to be a mascot.
"Even now, his death isn't even real. His aura, his presence is still there," said Lockwood, who attended the campus screening. "If he knew how many people he touched and impacted, he would be filled with such happiness."
The segment featured testimonials of five people whose lives were saved or improved by Ray's tissue and organ donations.
"There are over 98,000 people on the organ waiting list," Karen Rosner, a heart transplant recipient and Raleigh resident who attended the campus viewing.
She said Ray, like all organ donors, enhanced the lives of several people with his organs and at least 50 with his tissue donations.
Ronald Griffin, featured in the ESPN segment, was one of the thousands on the waiting list for a heart transplant.
In the segment, his wife said he had started to lose hope until his doctor gave him a "ray of hope" and told him to become a UNC fan.
Griffin, a 58-year-old grandfather of two, received Ray's heart.
"As long as my heart beats, Jason, to a degree, will still be alive," Griffin said in the segment.
Sophomore Anthony Sawyer attended the screening in Carroll Hall, which was sponsored by the Carolina Athletic Association.
"It was sad that he died, but it was uplifting to see all the people who got to live," Sawyer said.
UNC alumnus Greg Ceneviva, who also attended the hourlong viewing, said he met Ray during their freshman year through the UNC InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.
Ceneviva said he has never known anyone who savored life as much as Ray.
"He just went for it," Ceneviva said. "He was friends with everyone whenever he walked into the room. He had a joyful presence."
Ceneviva said he hopes people remember Ray as someone who practiced his faith and impacted people in a positive way.
"He made more of his life than most people make in a whole lifetime."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
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