Gun Violence 258
Cameron Robertson, 26, serial entrepreneur and father
At a young age, Cameron Robertson decided he didn’t want to work for anyone. So, as a teenager, he became a serial entrepreneur, first selling T-shirts outside of concerts and sports venues. Over the next several years, his business ventures kept pace with his dreams. “He was very goal-driven,” said his sister, Kristen Robertson. “If […]
Eric Woods, 19, a sweet guy who had it rough
Eric Woods was born on Christmas Day in 1987. His mother, Monique Irvis, said he felt like the holiday overshadowed his birthday, so every year she had a separate celebration to make him feel special. She pictured his 21st birthday, and his 30th — she planned to have bigger parties for him to mark these […]
Jarell Seay, 18, a kind and generous young man who overcame the trauma of bullying
When Jarell Seay was about 8 years old, his mother, Cheryl, noticed he wasn’t wearing the Scooby Doo watch he’d received for his birthday. Jarell had a friend whose parents were struggling with addiction and couldn’t provide the things he had, so Jarell did something about it. “He said, ‘He didn’t have anything, so I […]
Basil Adams, 27, a criminal justice student and choreographer
Basil Adams led a busy life. He was a criminal justice major at Cheyney University, had a part-time job at USA Kicks, and led a dance drill team. He lived in a house that his mother owned in Oxford Circle, paying the bills and handling the upkeep. Basil was running an errand when he was […]
Malik Austin, 32, doting father who endured a difficult childhood
Michael Fields laughed as he fondly recalled a special day in North Philadelphia nearly 30 years ago, when he took his little cousin, Malik Austin, to the barbershop for his first haircut. “He was about 2 years old and he had a big ol’ Afro, and I said, ‘Naw, this has got to go,’” Fields […]
Caleer Miller, 16, aspiring NBA player known for ‘peace and all smiles’
At 16 years old, Caleer Miller was 6 feet tall and still growing. His height made him a natural at basketball, as shown in videos of him dunking the ball with ease at his neighborhood court. Caleer cited the Philadelphia 76ers as his favorite team and aspired to one day go pro himself. “He was […]
Stephanie Dzikowski, 22, a young mother and dental technician
When Stephanie Dzikowski was pregnant, she learned that the baby girl growing inside her had a rare congenital disorder called gastrochisis. Her intestines and other internal organs were outside of her body, making for a potentially difficult birth. Stephanie wanted to learn all she could about this condition, so she made it the topic of […]
Justin Braswell, 25, assisted the needy, and now his family continues his legacy
When Justin Braswell was 15, a neighbor approached his mother, Michelle. “She said, ‘I didn’t know you gave out care packages,” she recalls. The neighbor told a confused Michelle that she saw Justin give his friend a bag of food, which explains why the family’s food supply was diminishing so quickly. “If his friends were […]
Viktoriya Manasyan, 20, Ukrainian immigrant and aspiring FBI Agent
Viktoriya Manasyan moved to the United States from Ukraine with her family 15 years ago. She was just 5 years old and beginning to mold to her new surroundings in this country. Her family became incredibly tight-knit as they navigated this new world together. She was always happy, but sensed when her family needed help. […]
Lavaun ‘Veezy’ Steward, 32, loved renovating houses and spending time with family
Hardly a day goes by when Tanya Steward doesn’t pick up her cell phone and listen to the message her younger brother Lavaun left for her on her 37th birthday in September 2017. “He’s going, ‘Happy birthday homieeeee,’ you know, singing me the whole ‘Happy Birthday’ song and then he says, ‘This is your brother […]
Shannon ‘Boogie’ Blassengale, 27, a fun-loving restaurant manager and freestyle rapper
If ever you were trying to find Shannon “Boogie” Blassengale, chances were he was at one of three places, said his mother, Tiffany Blassengale: Working at a Sonic restaurant in Philadelphia, where he was manager and known as the city’s “fastest Sonic sandwich maker”; at playgrounds in his Port Richmond neighborhood either playing basketball or […]
Charles Johnson, 18, compassionate soon-to-be-father pursuing a degree in engineering
Charles Johnson walked into his parents’ bedroom in the summer of 2007 to express grief over a friend who was just killed in their Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood. That friend was one of nine neighborhood kids Charles and his brother knew who were killed that year. At that moment, his mother knew the family needed to […]
Dyshon Garner, 25, quiet presence known for his signature gap tooth
If you were in the same room as Dyshon Garner, you might not have even noticed. He had a quiet presence in crowds, but blossomed with a different persona when he was making music or around his closest friends. “He was quiet and he would be observing everybody,” Sharon Smith, Dyshon’s mother, said. “When he […]
Rafael Massa, 46, boxer training to be a nurse assistant who loved his daughter
Rafael Massa never wanted to stop learning. At 46 years old, he was in school at Brightwood Career Institute to become a nursing assistant. At different stages of his life, he pursued boilermaking, asphalt, general education and now medical studies. “He was always eager just to learn the next thing,” Lisa Howell, Rafael’s ex-wife, said. […]
Brandyn Beard, 39, a good friend to many, adored his English bulldog
Brandyn Beard was a bubbly, outgoing person who doted on his English bulldog, Holly. “He treated that dog better than he treated himself,” his sister, Tyra Washington, said. “Everyone who knows Brandyn knows Holly was his baby girl. He threw parties for her, got her doggie cupcakes and dressed her in doggie clothes.” Brandyn was […]
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