Diyaan Smith, 16, a gamer known for giving money to the homeless
After having four daughters, Katrina Burrell was overjoyed when she learned in 2004 that her fifth child would be a son. He was born Memorial Day weekend, and she named him Diyaan. He was a quiet, laid-back kid who laughed a lot. He attended William Rowen School followed by the Academy for the Middle Years […]
Elijah Dobbs-Harvey, 18, Devoted “Uncle Juicy” Who Stood Up to Bullies
By the time he was three days old, Elijah Dobbs-Harvey had already cheated death. Born with neuroblastoma, a very rare cancer that forms in certain types of nerve tissue, Elijah survived a grueling surgery only to be later diagnosed with epilepsy and a severe speech impediment. “He didn’t like it but it was part of […]
Ahmad Morales, 24, a barber who wanted to open his own shop
When Ahmad Morales was 14, his mother Tamika taught him how to cut hair. A longtime hairdresser and salon owner, she wanted him to have a skill that he could use to support himself throughout life. Tamika bought her son a set of clippers and showed him the ropes, then got him a job at […]
Kevin ‘Snoop’ Williams, 24, Army veteran and security officer
Kevin Williams was private. His mother, Sonya George, calls him “my mysterious child,” prone to doing things like joining the U.S. Army and announcing the news after he had been sworn in. Kevin, whose nickname was Snoop, had been living on his own since he was 17, so when he asked Sonya if he could […]
Tahj Williams, 17, tireless team player, member of JROTC
As a wrestler, Tahj Williams was tinier than all of his competitors in the lowest weight class. Teachers often mistook him for someone’s younger brother, even though he could quiet down a chaotic classroom and hold his own among a group of coaches bantering in their office. Tahj wasn’t naturally gifted at sports but he […]
Hugh Certaine, 27: ‘He would never hang up a call without saying I love you’
As soon as “That’s What I Like” played at a family event, you’d see Hugh Arthur Certaine Jr. look over towards his mom, Geraldine Nelson, motioning her to dance to their favorite song. Whether it was cracking jokes about being short, making silly faces or attempting to dance, all Hugh ever wanted to do was […]
Ebony Pack, 30, nurse who cared for COVID patients
If Ebony Sequita Pack had a goal, she would not let anything stop her from achieving it. When she became pregnant while attending nursing school, she changed direction and got her nursing assistant certification instead, which allowed her to spend more time with her daughter. She stayed focused on her plan, though. Later, she went […]
Andre Blackshear, 56, peacemaker who extolled education, not guns
Amanda Mills was no more than 13 years old when she and her brother stood terrified outside their twin home in the Logan section of Philadelphia, watching a neighbor beat up his girlfriend. Soon enough, an older teenager, Andre “Dre” Blackshear, whose stern expression belied his teddy bear nature, grabbed the assailant and forcefully reminded […]
Albert Lee Jr., 27, Kutztown grad who ‘was very intelligent, and he had a plan’
Albert Thomas Lee Jr. was not a fan of vegetables, particularly corn. A friend even offered him $100 to eat an ear of corn, but he couldn’t do it. “He didn’t like how it tasted in his mouth, he didn’t like the kernels, so it was a task trying to get him to eat corn […]
Terrance Stewart, 35, shared a birthday with his youngest sister
On Terrance Stewart’s sixth birthday in 1987, his mother called him from the hospital where she had just given birth to her youngest daughter Shadeea. He asked what she had gotten him for his birthday, and she said, “a little sister.” His reply: “I don’t want that. I wanted a dog.” Although Terrance and Shadeea […]
Marcus Alexander, 26, opened his home to those in need
Marcus Alexander’s friends always knew they had a place to crash if they were hungry, arguing with their parents, or needed a respite from the streets. Growing up in Southwest Philadelphia, Marcus would invite at least 10 kids to dinner and the occasional stray dog, his mother, Theresa Guyton, remembered. He persuaded a friend to […]
Desiree Shaffer, 37, an outgoing mom and ‘the cool aunt’ who loved to dance
Desiree Shaffer was the cool aunt to her niece Justine Greenwood. As a young teenager, Justine would sometimes skip school to spend the day with her Aunt Desi, blasting Beyonce, watching The Ellen DeGeneres show and hanging out. Desiree, who had memorable bright blue eyes, was the younger sister of Justine’s mother, Misty. At 14 […]
Juawann Mason, 27, former high school basketball star and Bloomsburg University grad
Juawann Mason always strived to do the right thing. While others got wrapped up in drama on the streets, Juawann chose college. And after he earned his bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University, he decided to remain in the small northeastern Pennsylvania town rather than returning to his South Philadelphia neighborhood. In recent months, Juawann, whose […]
Terrance Freeman, 29, protector of the family who dreamed of leaving Germantown
It is not often that an enduring love story is sparked by a blue mixed drink at a neighborhood bar. But Pauline Freeman was immediately impressed by her future husband, Terrance. Although he was 13 years her junior, he was family-oriented, attentive, and carried himself well. He also was a meticulous dresser, careful that his […]
Rasheed Marion, 43, cook who wanted his own food truck
Dawn Victoria Williams was at a bar with a friend in 2019 when Rasheed Marion caught her eye. “I was checking him out, but then I was like, ‘Nah, I’m not at a place where I want to be in a relationship,’” she said. Not long after that, they found themselves at the same bar […]
Keshone ‘Papi’ Young, 24, cat lover who planned to be an electrician
Keshone Young was the epitome of happy-go-lucky. He didn’t let anything get him down. When his mother Lakesha Saunders mourned the recent loss of her parents, Keshone encouraged her to smile, told her that life was too short, and no one has the promise of tomorrow. Keshone graduated from Thomas Edison High School in North […]
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