Paris Wright was looking forward to being a father, but it would never come to be.
On Jan. 29, 2014, at five months pregnant, his girlfriend’s water broke and she lost their baby, whom they planned to name Paris.
“Even though he was young, I was excited because he was excited,” his mother, Crystal Wright, said about his impending fatherhood. “And when that happened he was really broken up about it.”
The following year, they thought she might be pregnant again. But on Jan. 29, 2015 — exactly a year after losing his first child — Paris was shot and killed in Olney. He was 21 years old.
Paris and his sister Charnei at his graduation from Olney High School in 2011
His girlfriend was indeed pregnant, and she gave birth to their daughter, Jannah Wright, on Sept. 11, 2015.
“I think he would have been an awesome dad. I think she would have changed his life,” Crystal said. “He wouldn’t be trying to help some of the people he thought were his friends. I just know things would’ve been different.”
Paris was born Feb. 3, 1993 in Philadelphia. He has an older sister, Charnei, who was born in 1988.
“He was very kind, very loving, and he always showed you love with his hug and kiss. That’s how he was,” Crystal said. “He was the type of kid who didn’t have to be told to get up and let the ladies sit on the bus. He just did it.”
Paris loved dancing, and he took tap and hip hop dance classes for a few years. He also took swimming lessons and became a strong swimmer.
Learning came easy to Paris, but he saw school as more of a social outlet, Crystal said, and she had to push him to get his work done. He graduated from Olney High School in 2011.
After that, he worked as a seasonal employee at the Philadelphia Zoo and particularly loved the horses. He also worked at Family Dollar, among other jobs. He was still young and was trying to find his path in life.
“He was 21, so he was very unsure about what he wanted to do,” Crystal said. “I know he wanted to be an artist, he wanted to be a rapper.”
Paris even recorded some tracks in a studio, but he also talked about going to trade school. He wanted to be able to provide for a child.
Crystal said she sees a lot of Paris in his daughter.
“She’s just like him. She loves animals, all kinds of animals, and she has a membership to the zoo,” Crystal said. “She’s a hugger and a loving person just like him.”
No one has been convicted of Paris’ homicide. The key witness in the case, who was also shot, was set to testify in court. But he, too, was shot and killed eight months after Paris.
“Paris was loved very much,” Crystal said, “and I was honored to be his mom.”
