Obituaries 316
Jada Hellams, 21: “She wanted better for herself, for her family – to change the narrative”
Growing up in North Philadelphia, Jada Hellams was on a first-name basis with struggle. She’d been there, done that and envisioned a better life for herself. She enrolled in Central Penn College, despite it being in the middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania, because it was affordable. As the first person in her family to attend college, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Marvin Williams, 28, loving dad who shares a birthday with his daughter
Marvin Tyrone Williams was walking into Taco Bell for his first day of work when he caught the attention of his co-worker, Valerie Palmore. She was on her way out the door after finishing her morning shift, and Marvin was reporting for duty for the afternoon shift. He was just her type: tall and handsome […]
Tyrik Acres, 20, loved teaching kids how to play basketball
At 5 feet, 7½ inches, Tyrik Amir Acres wasn’t the biggest player on the Bartram Braves football team, nor was he the tallest player on the basketball court. But that didn’t stop him from excelling at both sports. Tyrik’s mother, Shnieesha Acres, recalls watching her son score the winning touchdown when Bartram High School played […]
Jasahn Barnes, 30, whose Florida real estate dreams were cut short
Jasahn Barnes was going to make some big moves in 2022. He and his oldest child’s mother planned to relocate from Philadelphia to Florida and give their relationship another try in a new environment. He wanted to get into real estate and possibly start a demolition and cleaning business. Most of all, he wanted to […]
David Johnson, 40: ‘Being a good person cost him his life’
David Levine Johnson Jr. kept up with friends and family as if it was his job. He was known for making his rounds, popping in to hug and kiss everyone and asking if they were okay. “David was an active person, so you’d see him one minute and he’s gone the next,” said his sister, […]
Nahray Crisden, 19, lightning-fast athlete who was ‘always trying to save people’
Nahray Crisden was his mother’s greatest blessing when she gave birth to him on Sept. 16, 2000 after struggling with serious health issues for most of her life. For his middle name, she chose Munakk, which means “savior” in Arabic. And Nahray lived up to that name. He tried to save the young men in […]
Ramonita Jusino, 19: ‘She had all of these plans’
Ramonita Jusino embodied the qualities of a Capricorn: goal-oriented, hardworking and responsible. She identified so closely with her zodiac sign that last year she got a tattoo of the constellation on her upper left arm. Ramonita was focused on earning money so she could knock a couple goals off her list, opening a salon with […]
Brian Madera, 22, high-flying truck driver and ‘happy soul’
Brian Madera was living large and proud, sometimes grossing $7,000 a week driving his 18-wheeler, Big Bertha, and blowing nearly half of it in one weekend at the club. He took frequent vacations to the Dominican Republic, where his family was from, and would blare Bachata music when he showed up for work at 2 […]
Most viewed
