Funeral Scheduled for UNC Mascot Jason Ray

CONCORD, N.C. — A funeral will be held Saturday for Jason Ray, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student who died three days after he was struck by a car just hours before an NCAA tournament game where he was to perform as the school's mascot.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Concord First Assembly, the university said Tuesday. Visitation will be held 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the same church.

Ray, 21, died Monday morning after being in critical condition at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey since Friday afternoon. A car struck him from behind as he walked on a highway shoulder near his hotel in Fort Lee after going to a nearby convenience store.

Ray was one of three UNC students who portrayed the Tar Heels' ram mascot, Rameses and had done so for three years. He was scheduled to graduate in May with a major in business administration and a minor in religion.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Jason Kendall Ray Memorial Fund, Concord Christian Church, 3101 Davidson Highway, Concord, N.C, 28027.