Long after her son was too old to fit comfortably beside her, Braiheen David Anthony Jamison Sr. still had one childhood habit he never outgrew.
Whenever he got sick, no matter how old or how big he had become, he would sneak into bed with his mother, Wendy Jamison, looking for the same comfort he had relied on as a little boy.
“Whenever Braiheen was sick, he would come and climb into bed with me, saying, ‘Mom, I don’t feel well,’” Wendy recalled with a laugh. “This was my only son and it didn’t matter how big he was.”
The tradition, however, only worked one way.
“The funny thing was, if I was sick and tried to climb into bed with him, he’d say, ‘Mom, what are you doin? You better go take some medicine.’”
That mix of tenderness, humor and unwavering love for his family defined much of Braiheen’s life.
Some people knew him as “Greefe,” while others called him “Smurf,” though nobody really knew how either nickname came to be. When they were children, however, his cousin Juanita simply called him “Bri” because she could not pronounce his full name.
Braiheen’s favorite color was often jokingly described as “the color of money,” a reflection of his sense of humor and his dreams of creating a better life for those he loved.
While everyone else was preparing to ring in a new year, Braiheen was getting ready to greet the world. He was born on December 31, 1988, and grew up in North Philly. He attended Frederick Douglass and Edward Gideon Middle Schools, where he enjoyed playing football and basketball and displayed a natural athletic ability before an ankle injury cut short his participation in the sports he loved.
Braiheen was known for his easygoing personality, loyalty to those he cared about and deep love for his family.
“I remember, Bri would randomly call me often and we would talk about what we wanted in life,” Juanita said.
Growing up in difficult circumstances, he faced many of the challenges confronting young men in his community. Though he never sought out trouble, it often seemed to find him. His loyalty sometimes led him to make sacrifices for others, including accepting responsibility for a gun charge that was not his own.
The experience separated him from his family for a time, but he used it as an opportunity to better himself, earning his high school diploma from Glen Mills.
Tragically, Braiheen’s life was cut short on April 21, 2011. Following an argument, he was senselessly gunned down just a few feet from his home on North 20th Street in Philadelphia. He was only 21 years old. A year later, the man who killed him was also shot and killed.
Above all else, Braiheen was a devoted father. His greatest pride and purpose in life were his three children: 17-year-old twins Brooklyn and Braiheen Jr., and his younger son, Basir, now 15. He cherished every moment with them and worked hard, often taking construction jobs whenever they were available to help provide for his family.
Braiheen’s family and friends also knew he loved taking chances and enjoyed gambling. Whenever fortune smiled upon him, he made sure his winnings were put to good use by helping provide for the people he loved most. Occasionally, he also shared his good fortune with relatives and neighbors, especially elderly people in the community.
“He was goofy, funny and had the craziest laugh. Braiheen was a good father,” Juanita shared. “I wish he was here to see how his children have grown and see what they have accomplished. My daughter misses him too. He was like an uncle to her.”
“I know his happiest moments were spent surrounded by the people who mattered most, his beloved fiancée, Kenya, his children, and me,” Wendy said.
Family was the center of his world, and those closest to him will forever remember his smile, his laughter and the love he shared so freely.
“People came to me after the funeral, even later and said, ‘Wendy or Ms. Jamison, you raised him right. He had a beautiful spirit. He was polite, not disrespectful. He cared how he treated people.’”
Though his life was brief, Braiheen’s legacy continues to live on through all who knew him. The impact he had on people remains immeasurable.
Braiheen leaves to cherish his memory his loving mother, Wendy; his fiancée, Kenya; his twins; his other son; and many family members and friends whose lives were forever touched by his presence.
Funeral services were held on April 28, 2011, at Choice Funeral Home, 2530 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA.
Leave a Reply