The one thing those closest to Xavier Crawford will always remember is his smile.

“It was like glued on,” said junior Deion White, a friend of Xavier’s. “It never left.”

Deion and Xavier met during Deion’s freshman year of high school, when a longtime friend of Deion’s introduced them.

“It was easy to get along with him,” Deion said. “He was always happy.”

Xavier, a junior at the University, died Dec. 14 from complications of an illness, according to an email sent by University President Mary Ellen Mazey.

Xavier, 22, was diagnosed with colitis two years ago, and the illness had been bothering him frequently in the days before he died, said senior Tiffany Creary, a friend of Xavier’s.

Xavier grew up in Euclid, Ohio. His mother remembers he was happy growing up as well.

“I remember my child smiling,” said Patricia Moten, Xavier’s mother. “He always had a smile on his face, he was always happy.”

Harvey Crawford, Xavier’s father, said he will miss his son’s smile the most.

Xavier had more than just a great smile, he had a great personality to match. Xavier was a very social, outgoing person, Tiffany said.

“He knew everyone, every week Xavier had a new friend,” she said. “He was always laughing, I never saw him angry.”

Tiffany and Deion remember the times they spent with Xavier as being characterized by laughter.

“One day we were at the beach at home and me and him planned to scare everyone,” Tiffany said. “He jumped out and screamed and yelled and he tripped and fell in the sand.”

Deion had the same memory. “No one was scared, but everyone was laughing,” he said.

Deion also remembered silly things about Xavier, such as the time Xavier put pictures of Wendy all over the inside of Deion’s car because he thought Deion’s new hairstyle looked like the restaurant chain’s logo character.

“He always made us laugh,” Deion said.

Harvey remembers Xavier as a humble, easygoing, quiet-spoken person.

“I really feel a closeness to him because of his personality,” Harvey said. “Because he was different from his brothers, he was more humble like I was; I didn’t have any problems out of him.”

Xavier was goofy, loveable and always there for you, remembers Xavier’s younger brother Ravonn Moten.

“My brother just tried to be a mentor to me and look over me,” Ravonn said. “He would always be there for you, he always tried to do the right thing.”

Whenever a friend would ask for a favor or for Xavier to do something, he wouldn’t say no, Deion said.

“He looked out for all his friends,” Deion said. “He never knew how to say no, he was like ‘Yes Man’.”

Xavier did many things while at the University, and never stopped pursuing the things he was passionate about.

“He was always singing,” Ravonn said. “Every time I was around him he was always singing.”

Xavier also enjoyed modeling, acting and dancing.

“He always got into acting,” Patricia said. “He always wanted an audience.”

He tried out for several things while at the University and performed as a model in Jabberwock this past year, Tiffany said.

“He always talked about his scenes, even if they were small, and what he had to do in them,” Tiffany said.

At the University, Xavier majored in Physical Education.

“I don’t think that [physical education] was what he was destined to do,” Tiffany said. “I think he was going to go beyond that and do modeling and acting.”

Xavier always had a plan for what he wanted to pursue next, Deion said.

Deion remembers Xavier as a positive person who always made him and their group of friends laugh.

“When I think of him, I don’t get sad, I just smile,” Deion said. “I just think he wouldn’t want me to get sad, he’d want me to think of all the good times.”