Gun Violence 258
Kamaj Rudd, 19, ‘Big Kid’ Excited About Upcoming Graduation, Move to Florida
Katrina Juanita Crump knew that her fourth child would be her last, so she gave him her initials “KJ.” Born on March 9, 2002 in the Frankford section of Philadelphia, Kamaj Juanir Rudd was his mother’s sweetheart and a little gentleman. Whenever he saw her truck returning from work, he asked her about her day […]
Jose Aces, 23: ‘He just always wanted to be the one to take care of everything and everybody’
Savannah Stein met her first boyfriend at a cousin’s party when she was 14 years old and living in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia. Jose Aces, one year older and a full foot taller, was the yin to Savannah’s yang. His father had been deported to Cuba when Jose was only about seven years […]
Michael Mines, 21, ‘Mr. Congeniality’ Who Outwitted Boxing and Chess Opponents
When the teacher made the kindergarten class line up by height, Michael “Mike Mike” Mines was always at the front. Small but speedy, Michael became everybody’s favorite class clown, mocking his friends for their jacked-up haircuts and burping loudly in class. One time, while waiting for his punishment in the principal’s office at W.C. Longstreth […]
Byron Dessiso, 36: ‘He’d always find a way out of nowhere”
Byron Dessiso, 36, of Hunting Park, a former high school football player and jujitsu enthusiast who would burst into tears at the sight of his young daughter bawling with a boo-boo, died July 11, 2022 — the same day he was about to start a new job — after being shot in Hunting Park, less […]
Tyrell Beatty, 34, proud father who owned his choices and defied the odds
As a boy growing up in North Philadelphia, Tyrell Beatty was obsessed with professional wrestling and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He watched his human idols on television with his grandmother, Cleo Bagwell. She rooted for The Undertaker and he cheered for The Ultimate Warrior, fidgeting as if he were tag teaming with the WWE […]
Dominque “Dom” Johnson-Murray, 30, doting father and friend
Temeka Johnson Murray could not stop anointing her son with blessed olive oil to try to keep him safe from the streets. Straight from the church altar, she would deposit droplets of the oil on Dominique Johnson-Murray’s pillow, shoes, doorknob, and forehead. Although Dom became a Muslim later in life, mom would surreptitiously slip him […]
Calvin Morton Greene, 32, aspiring real estate mogul who kept reaching higher
From an early age, Calvin Morton Greene understood the importance of knowing your history and creating generational wealth as a path to independence. His mother, Tracy Morton, taught him that and so much more. While Calvin was still in utero, Tracy encouraged him to learn a second language to increase his career prospects. Go to […]
Shaquille Barbour, 18, enterprising optimist with a radiant smile
Shineka Crawford just knew that her baby boy would be a giant. During her pregnancy, her belly expanded so much that she looked like she was having twins. Swift karate kicks in the womb pummeled her insides. She spent seven months on bedrest. Born on April 8, 2003, Shaquille “Shaq” Barbour (named after basketball legend […]
Daniel Puskas, 19, contemplative free spirit who enjoyed nature, animals
Laurie Anne LoBaito-Puskas referred to her son as “Jonathan Livingston Seagull,” after her favorite fable about a nonconformist bird who, on the strength of his resolve, soars to new heights to achieve personal freedom. Like Jonathan, Daniel “Danny” Puskas rose above his circumstances. Born on March 5, 2002, he was only a toddler when Laurie […]
Kyle Singleton, 30, ambitious entrepreneur and dapper dresser
Kyle Singleton could pick out an outfit that wouldn’t embarrass you, iron your hair, plan your red-carpet prom party, cook you a salmon-and-asparagus feast, and move your heaviest air conditioner without missing a beat. A free-spirited jokester, Kyle enjoyed vacationing from Miami to Mexico, London to Paris. “I can eat when I get back home,” […]
Brandon Dixon, 30, youth basketball coach and former state champ
A talented athlete, Brandon Dixon grew up playing basketball and football on the west side of Germantown. But the summer after his freshman year, his mother Lisa Dixon moved the family to Plymouth Meeting in Montgomery County over concerns about increasing crime in the city. Brandon flourished at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. Sports writers mentioned […]
Summer Fundraising Call! Please help us tell more stories
More than 500 people were murdered in Philly last year, most from gun violence, and this year is shaping up to be just as bad. Children. Pregnant women. Grandparents. Young men and women in the prime of their lives. But most victims will remain a mystery to the public. At the Philadelphia Obituary Project, a […]
Cameron Scott-Bey, 19, clever artist and sensitive soul
By the time he turned six years old, Cameron “Cam” Scott-Bey would dump a heap of drawings in various stages of completion all over his bedroom floor in Mount Airy. He then scanned his collection, using a discerning eye to add a bit more motion to Michael Jackson’s spin or outline the exact outfit that […]
Khaliyl Gilbert, 22, a big dreamer who was accepted to the Police Academy
Khaliyl Gilbert was different. He had high standards not only for himself, but also for those around him, and he challenged people to do better. He had friends in the neighborhood who had trouble finding work because they had records, so he did all he could to help. “He’d go into different businesses and go […]
Jerwayne Hunter, 39, ‘gentle giant’ who protected his family
Jerwayne Hunter always had your back — even if you ignored his wise advice. Scared and shoeless, Keisha Smith remembered paging her cousin at 3 a.m. after a particularly brutal fight with her boyfriend one night. Jerwayne had warned Keisha not to date the older man, recognizing that he was a loose cannon. “He’s going […]
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