Tragic car crash claims the life of NCCU military student

Friends and family are mourning the loss of Ayana Marie Paul, a 24-year-old North Carolina Central University student who died last month.

According to her family, Paul was involved in a deadly car crash on Sept. 29 in Virginia Beach.

Paul was an active-duty military member stationed in Virginia and a dedicated full-time transfer student at the university in Durham.

In an official statement, the university says:

"Paul, a first-year transfer student from San Diego, was pursuing her studies in recreation administration. She was a proud member of the U.S. Navy operations specialist and harbored dreams of becoming an athletic trainer. Her passion for her field and her commitment to her studies and military service were deeply respected and admired by her peers and instructors alike. Paul will be remembered fondly by the NCCU community, her friends, and her family."