ARLINGTON, Va. — Editor's note: The video attached to the article was a vigil held by friends and family in November of 2022 to honor the life of Braylon Meade.
A scholarship fund has been created on behalf of a student-athlete at Washington-Liberty Highschool who was killed in a car crash in the Rock Spring neighborhood in November.
Braylon Meade lost his life when he was making a U-turn on Old Dominion Drive and was hit by a driver detectives suspect of driving under the influence, Arlington County Police Department said in a statement.
On Nov. 13, hundreds of Arlington community members gathered for a candlelight vigil at Washington-Liberty high school to honor their former classmate.
Meade - a senior basketball and football player - was remembered by his teammates as the heart and soul of the team.
"Ultimately, we want everyone to know that this community, that we love Braylon Meade," said Washington-Liberty High School Principal Tony Hall at the vigil.
In the wake of his death, Meade's family sought ways to honor his life. After learning about the Arlington Community Foundation from a few close friends, and talking to the Community Foundation about the process, the family was able to establish the Braylon Meade Memorial Scholarship. The funds are divided into three different scholarships, each meant to honor a separate facet of Meade's life and passions.
As soon as the fund and donation page was set up, memorial gifts came flooding in.
“We’ve just been so amazed by the breadth of the support, by the meaningful ways in which folks have enabled Braylon’s legacy to live on here," the teen's father, Kris Meade, said.
The first of the three scholarships reflects a part of Braylon Meade's life that earned him hundreds of fans on and off the court: Washington-Liberty Boys' Varsity Basketball.
"And now, with an annual scholarship awarded to a graduating member of the WL Boys’ Varsity Basketball team, Braylon will always be a part of the lineup," Community Foundation said in a statement.
The second annual scholarship will be awarded to a Washington-Liberty High School senior who has participated in any Washington-Liberty sports team. Lastly, the third scholarship will be given to a graduating senior from any Arlington Public School.
All three scholarships will have academic requirements attached, and to honor Braylon Meade's efforts to "lift others up," two of the funds are designated for students with financial needs, according to Community Foundation. All three scholarships are renewable for up to four years.
The scholarship fund has already raised over $150,000. The 2023-2024 scholarship application period is open through Feb. 6 and details on how to apply can be found here.
“A lesson that’s come out of this is just how much he touched others’ lives, Kris and Rose Meade said in a joint statement. "And if we can lift up three other teenagers each year, then we can do more to sustain his legacy than we could have ever hoped to do."