Rykeith Sullivan, whose nickname was “Rock,” bore quite a few similarities to another who goes by “The Rock.” Maybe not completely in his physique, but Rykeith had a lot of the same qualities as the famous wrestler—a charming people person who captivated many with his smile and sense of humor.
He was born on January 25th, 1987 at Hahnemann Hospital and lived most of his young years in North Philadelphia. In a busy household of five girls and five boys, he was the oldest and naturally protective of his siblings. Like most other North Philly boys, Rykeith liked sports. His favorite was basketball but he liked playing chess and video games too. Boxing, public speaking, reading history and studying Islam were also among his favorite interests.
A graduate of William Penn High School in 2004, this young man’s main goal in life was to emerge from his environment as the best man he could be. While living on North Felton Street in the heart of a troubled area of North Philly, it proved hard to stay focused. Rykeith was shot on three different occasions in his lifetime, but he managed to display a constant optimism and continued personal development. The last time Rykeith was shot was in the middle of the day on the 2300 block of Montgomery Avenue on June 28, 2022, and this time it was fatal. He was 35.
“My nephew was a family man,” his Uncle Tony (aka Douglas Tucker) said. “He was a proud father of two daughters and one son. As a single parent, he was determined to be a good dad just as he was a devoted son.” A typical day for him started with prayer, then off to work. He enjoyed spending time with family, especially his mother, whom he visited every day. He appreciated his quality time with his kids. Hanging out with his Uncle Tony was always special.
Rykeith worked as a Home Health Aide for about five years. He was dedicated to his job, mainly because he loved people. To reach his goal as a Dental Hygienist, at the age of 29, he graduated-Suma Cum Laude from James L. Harrison, School of Dentistry in 2016. He had a 4.0 GPA and received recognition as a model student with awards in Perfect Attendance and Outstanding Citizenship. He aspired to open his own dental office one day.
This young man would frequently say, “being unique is an overlooked attribute. You always have to be yourself.” “Rock was kind of a jokester. When we hung out at the club and he saw a woman who was acting anti-social, he would play the Ducktales theme music on his cell phone. That was a code to leave her alone.” Mr. Tucker shared that they laughed a lot about that and many other things.
Rykeith was very concerned with the conditions in their community. In 2020, “Rock” along with his uncle, established BADJM, Inc., an organization called Brothers Against Drugs, Jail and Murder. To that end, “he wanted people to produce the best versions of themselves,” his uncle stated. There were 15 members by 2022, when Rykeith tragically lost his life.
Services were held on July 2, 2022 at the Lynwood Funeral Home at 59th and Girard Avenue. Rykeith is survived by his three children, his mother, Wydiah Sullivan, four brothers, five sisters, uncles, aunts and a host of other family and friends.
Resources are available for people and communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Click here for more information.
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