UNC-CH mourns mascot, friend

Friends of Jason Ray say they'll remember his infectious energy and an outsized personality that matched his 6-foot-5-inch frame. Like the time he drew a cheering crowd on South Road during an audition to be UNC-Chapel Hill's mascot because, as he told a student magazine, "If I get in this suit one time, I'm going to make it worth it." The 21-year-old senior from Concord died Monday, three days after he was hit by an SUV while walking to his New Jersey hotel. (Raleigh News & Observer)