Jason Smith’s carefree spirit was one of the many attributes his closest friends loved about him and now they’re planning to ensure it lives on in an annual award.The Saltus Grammar School graduates launched the Jason Smith Live Free award and partial scholarship this summer, named after one of his favourite songs and his overall approach to life.They’re also in the process of setting up the Live Free organisation, which will raise funds for the scholarship, increase awareness about the issues surrounding gun violence and offer mentoring for young people.“‘Live Free’ actually came from a song by Mac Miller that we were talking about at Easter time,” said James Adams, 22. “It’s about living free, having a carefree attitude, having fun, enjoying people’s company.“That’s how it kick-started it and became the slogan. It was really Jay in a nutshell if you ever had to describe him.”Mr Smith, who graduated from Saltus in 2007 and studied at Seneca College and St Mary’s University in Canada, was shot dead outside the home of Mr Adams on Overview Hill, Pembroke, on May 1.Police have no idea why and the victim’s friends say they can’t fathom the reason.Darren Woods, 25, said: “You don’t make sense of it. My brother is closer friends with these guys, my little brother Daniel. I’m more [in] a big brother role and have watched these guys grow up and go through the ranks.“For me, that morning when my brother found out, I took it as Jay getting shot is the same as my brother getting shot. Two kids that were raised right and were not getting caught up at all [in violence].”Mr Woods said he came away from Jason’s funeral “wanting to do something really positive”.Kryshae Furbert, 22, echoed that sentiment. “For Jason to be taken away from us in such a tragic way and at a time when he was so young and full of life is very painful,” she said.“However, life is about choices and when we received the call that Jason had been murdered we made a choice. We chose to turn a tragedy into something positive.“We found solace in a heartbreaking situation and we were only able to do this because of who Jason was. It’s our job as his friends to celebrate his life, honour his memory and ensure his legacy lives on.”Francesca Cacace, 21, explained most of the friends have known each other for a decade and “are more than just a group of friends. We are a family.”She said: “Kryshae and I were talking and we decided that we wanted to start something in Jason’s name.“We decided to put together a scholarship for a graduating [Saltus] student who embodied all the things that we thought of Jason.”Daniel Andrade was chosen by Saltus teachers as the first recipient of the award for his sports prowess, good humour, positive attitude and kind spirit.He received money towards his studies at the University of Toronto and his name has been engraved on a plaque handcrafted from Bermuda cedar by carpenter Jeremy Johnson.The award and scholarship were made possible thanks to a donation from the Stefanel Group of Companies.Ms Cacace said: “The entire Saltus family has been very supportive. We want it [the scholarship] to grow each year. The first one was $505. We added the five for lots of reasons. He was the fifth gun murder in the fifth month.”Mr Adams added: “He called himself Jay but he added five Ys so it was Jayyyyy! That’s just how he was. He’d probably have a big laugh at it [the Live Free award], probably wouldn’t believe that we’d do that for him.”The group’s first fundraising event in August raised $4,500, which will go towards future scholarships and the work of the Live Free organisation, a sub-charity within YouthNet.Mr Woods said the key aims of the organisation would to raise funds and awareness, offer mentoring and encourage young people to “live free” of negativity and hatred.“It is important to remember what we have been able to learn from Jason, even in tragedy,” he said. “The legacy he left was that of an individual not afraid to stand up for what he knew to be right, not afraid to show the love he had in his heart and never afraid to ‘live free’.”Ms Cacace said the project had given the friends a positive focus at a very difficult time.“It goes without saying that we all miss Jay so much. The only thing I can say that has been able to help heal the wound is the strong bond between our group of friends.”The other Live Free founders are Lozendro Symonds, Jez Burrows, Ezekiel Stoneham, Jamin Furbert, Daniel Woods, Kijaun Wilkinson, Milan Wall-Burgess, Jasmin Caines, Akil Trott, Clyde Darrell, Matthew Madeiros, Tse Minors, Teron Ratteray and Marquel Waldron.For more information e-mail livefreejay[AT]gmail.com.