Obituaries 316
Aasir Davis, 20, a playful soul with 4 jobs, if you count “watching” dishes
Aasir Mikell Davis had three part-time jobs: Forever 21, BJ’s Wholesale and an Amazon warehouse. His mother, Rovella Davis, worked for the state and encouraged him to apply for a full-time clerical position, which offered good benefits more stability. The plan was for him to go into work with his mom, fill out an application, […]
Brian Webb, 54, Air Force veteran and new college graduate
Although he was 54, in a way, Brian Webb’s life was just beginning in the spring of 2018. He had just earned his bachelor’s degree in health administration from Peirce College and was getting ready for one of the proudest moments of his life: walking across the stage at graduation to accept his diploma. He […]
Troy Parker, 40, ‘security blanket’ to twin sister
Twins are always said to have a connection closer than anyone. For Tramel Parker, the loss of her twin brother, Troy, was devastating. While he may be gone, she continues to bring him with her wherever she goes, with his likeness printed on a tote bag. “It’s like my security blanket,” Tramel said through tears. […]
Destiny Gonsalves-Charles, 19, was happy to finally be with her childhood crush
When Destiny Gonsalves-Charles was a child, she had a crush on a boy six years her senior named Damier. She was friends with his little cousins, and every time she saw him, she’d wait for him to glance her way, then she’d give him a look and a smile. “I took notice and I thought, […]
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 […]
Debra Gulliver, 33, caring friend who struggled to find peace
Debra Gulliver’s life could be divided into two parts: Before her father’s death and after. Her early years were happy ones. She was born July 6, 1983, in Delaware County, and nine months later, her family moved to the Jersey Shore. Debra enjoyed all that the shore had to offer. “She has always loved the […]
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 […]
Anthony Molina, 25, a restaurant chef with an upbeat personality
Even though they were a year apart, Anthony Molina and his sister Shanna were often mistaken as twins when they were kids. “We were very, very close,” she said. “He was very protective of me.” Anthony, whom everyone called Tony, was born in Philadelphia on Aug. 6, 1990, and grew up in Kensington. He and […]
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. […]
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