LYNCHBURG, VA – Cars and community: two of the things Cash Gaudio held near his heart.
“He made it a point to himself to always be caring,” Cash’s friend Savena Royal said.
He was only 19 when he was shot and killed last September - but his love for the people around him still shines through his friends, Royal.
“When he passed, it was like all of Lynchburg was affected by it,” Royal said.
Like many of Cash’s friends and family, Royal is still hurting and healing.
She saw the overwhelming support from the Lynchburg community and decided to channel her grief into a passionate drive to make a difference.
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“I like to tell people that we’re doing this for him, in honor of him, instead of like, we’re going to sit here and grieve him,” she said.
Cash’s love of cars inspired ‘Gears for Gaudio’ - a car show this Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in the Boonsboro shopping center.
All proceeds go to the Cash Gaudio Memorial Scholarship, which has already raised over $51,000 for students at Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy or LCA.
“He had his own detailing business. Him knowing that this is going to go towards somebody’s dreams like he had, he’d be pleased,” Royal said.
Within hours of Royal sharing the event details, over 700 people had shared the flyer,
“It’s not me, it’s not the event, it’s Cash,” Royal said.
Dozens of people are chipping in any way they can, from donations to bringing cars they think Cash would have loved.
“It’s like they knew him, even though they never really met him,” Royal said.
Savena’s mom Emily Harris is the manager of a hair salon in the center - and is one of the many businesses sponsoring the event.
“He had his fingers in so many different groups within this community that his loss has been a huge impact. For me, it makes me proud of my daughter, but also touched by being able to have a continued memory of Cash. He’s still reaching people in his absence,” Harris said.
Royal is hoping orange cars will fill the show, a touching tribute to Cash’s favorite color and a powerful symbol of gun violence awareness.
“What do you think Cash would think of all of this?” 10 News Anchor Abbie Coleman asked.
“He’d be stoked. He’d be so excited,” Royal said.
For more information on the event, click here.
For more information on the Live Like Cash Gaudio Foundation, and donation information, click here.
