The Sixth Man

In his spare time, Willie Ray works on beaded bracelets at Firefly Bead Store in Carrboro, NC. This weekly tradition is one he's kept up for years, crafting pieces to give to friends, Carolina fans, and anyone he meets along the way. Store owner Mel has watched him become one of Firefly's most loyal regulars.

“It all goes back to being kind,” Ray says, “ You never know when you might just make somebody’s day, and it don’t take me no time anyway”

As a veteran usher for UNC Athletics, Willie Ray has built relationships with generations of Carolina students and fans. He treasures getting to “see people through different times in their life.”

Some connections run so deep, fans will stay after games just to make sure they see Ray before they go. Sharing his bracelets allows Ray to leave an impact on the individuals he meets regardless of age. "Each side needs the other," he says. "The younger need the older, their wisdom and knowledge."

Willie Ray, 65, has been an usher for Carolina Athletics for the past 27 years — and a Carolina fan for years before that. Known among colleagues and fans alike for his friendly demeanor, Ray uses simple acts of generosity and observation to cultivate community while navigating retirement.

After losing his wife, Willie Ray raised his children alone. "I had to learn how to be a single parent, and that wasn't easy," he says. He reflects similarly on his own childhood, “Nobody was there to show me what to do…I was always listening and observing... I learned how to be a man and how to carry myself by watching other people."

Though retired, Willie Ray stays close to the communities he loves through his work as a UNC Athletics usher. While navigating retirement, Ray notes that, "time waits for no one."

"My mind is still young, but my body just can't keep up like it used to. When you get older you’ve got to find something you love to fill your time.”

Willie Ray shares a poem written by his late wife, who passed away from cancer in 2016, leaving him a widower and single father. "Your circle starts like this," he says, gesturing wide with his arms. "But as you get older it just gets smaller — that's why you need people who love you and tell you they love you."