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 beach, the ocean, the whole atmosphere down there,” her mother, Nancy Celia, said. “I used to put her on the back of my bicycle when she was little and we’d ride on the boardwalk and just ride all around Ocean City.”
They moved back to Delaware County when Debra was 8, and two years later, her brother Kevin was born. She loved her role as the big sister after being an only child for 10 years.
When she was 14 or 15, Nancy and her husband split up. Fast forward a few years to March 2006, when Debra was 22. She was living with her father and had come home after spending the weekend with friends.
After a few hours of not hearing or seeing her father, she went to his bedroom and found him dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
“The Debra that was Debra before that was gone,” Nancy said. “It completely changed everything about her. Everything. She just spiraled slowly after that.”
The house was sold, and she wanted to be independent, so she turned down Nancy’s offer to live with her. Over the next few years Debra moved around and lived down the shore and in Philadelphia, renting a series of rooms. She had several jobs over the years but became overwhelmed easily, so she didn’t keep them for very long.
“I just think everything was slowly catching up to her,” Nancy said.
Debra had grief counseling and attended events for survivors of suicide, but eventually she sought mental health treatment at a residential center for women.
That seemed to help, and after that, she finally found a job that suited her: She worked as a paratransit driver and transported seniors and people with disabilities.
“She loved it. She loved to drive and nobody was on her back,” Nancy said. “She got awards for being a good driver and not having any accidents. She just loved talking to the senior citizens.”
Unfortunately, on one of her days off, she ended up fracturing a bone in her right leg and was unable to drive, so she could no longer keep her job.
Friday, June 23, 2017 was a nice sunny day and Debra decided to head from her place in North Philly into Center City for the day. She applied for a few jobs and eventually connected with some friends. She kept in touch with Nancy through Facebook Messenger, sending photos and updating her on her location.
She met up with other friends later that night and planned to go home after.
In the early morning hours of June 24, 2017, Debra was found stabbed and beaten to death on a path leading to Reyburn Park behind a school near 21st and Lehigh.
No arrests have been made.
Debra was not a complicated person, Nancy said. She was direct and wasn’t afraid to say how she felt. She was a good sister, a good daughter, and a good friend.
“Even though she was struggling, she’d always make herself available to her friends if they needed her,” Nancy said.
Debra had a wide, diverse circle of friends from all walks of life, but Nancy said she was still taken aback at how many people attended Debra’s funeral.
“There were hundreds of people that showed up,” she said. “The line was out the door and down the street. I was just amazed. I knew she had friends but I didn’t know she touched that many people’s lives.”
Cats were a big part of Debra’s life since she was a little girl. Cats would follow her home from school and she’d always seem to find a cat that needed help.
About two years before her death, Debra spotted a cat outside during winter and brought her in. A short time later, the cat gave birth to four kittens. Debra got them all veterinary care and had them spayed and neutered.
After her death, Nancy took the mom, a gray tabby named Mommy. She still has her.
“Debra would be happy,” she said.
Date: 2017-06-24
Location: 2100 W Lehigh Ave, Philadelphia, PA
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