Gun Violence 265
Matthew Thomas, 47, left behind 7,000 pieces of artwork—and one terrible tattoo
We all make mistakes in life, but the mistake Matthew Thomas made was so ridiculous that he ended up on TV. The show was “America’s Worst Tattoo” on TLC, and you can guess where this is going. His tattoo was on his lower back, and he headed straight to South Jersey when he heard the […]
Khalil Ford, 40, loved his children, burpees and his amazing fruit salad
When Lakisha King first moved into her North Philadelphia neighborhood, Khalil Ford noticed her struggling with the bags, so he stepped in without hesitation. “Hey, you need help with that?” he asked, carrying her things from the car and up to her door. At first, it seemed like a simple act of kindness. But over […]
Eric Robinson, 27, Consummate Caregiver Who Was Saving for the Future
Eric Robinson was nicknamed “Wrecker Hess” as a kid because he barreled through his grandmother’s bedroom like a Hess Truck. He would emerge stomping around in her size 12 high heels, a silky nightgown slipping off his shoulders, wearing underwear on his head like a fashionable bonnet. “Look, Nana!” he announced. Navella Bassette would bust […]
Andres Lopez Wyatt, 35, loving, upbeat person who cherished family
Andres Lopez Wyatt’s goals were simple: A steady job, a place to call his own, the love of a good woman. After serving time, he was finally believing in himself and on the cusp of fulfilling his dreams. “I love life,” he confided in his older sister, Odalys. “I feel so good.” But Andres would […]
Alaysia Smith, 13: cheerleading captian who was ‘like a sister to everyone’
After breaking a leg, most people just want to go in the house and mope around. For Alaysia Smith, that wasn’t an option. “All she wanted to do was go get some tacos and watch videos of the rest of the cheerleading contest,” said her cousin Dezeray Jones. “You woulda thought it was a normal […]
Frederick Duggans, 20, dog lover who was saving to go to California to record music
Frederick Duggans’ star was rising, and he was saving money to move to California to reach new heights. Performing under the stage name “Rollin Fredo,” his rap career was getting underway when he moved to Philadelphia in 2022. He had just released his single “Call My Name” and landed a spot at the DMV Fest. […]
Christine Whitaker, 56, cherished her daughters after rebuilding her life
After becoming a single mother at 20, Christine Yvette Whitaker lived a busy, vibrant life with her daughters in tow. No matter where she went, you saw her with her first daughter, Nashay, and her second daughter, Chikeena, who soon followed. Even though Chrissy was determined to do the best she could for her two […]
Ethan Parker, 12, talented singer whose song will never fade
This story was produced as part of our Writing Heals program, in which we hire a family member of a victim of homicide to write the stories of people who have been killed in Philadelphia. For more information or to sign up to write about someone you lost to gun violence, click here. Story by David Bratcher, who […]
Iz’hir Gonzalez, 14, star athlete at Master Charter who was loved by ‘all the old ladies on the block’
This story was produced as part of our Writing Heals program, in which we hire a family member of a victim of Homicide to write the stories of people who have been killed in Philadelphia. For more information or to sign up to write about someone you lost to gun violence, click here. _______________________ Written […]
Nahray Crisden, 19, lightning-fast athlete who was ‘always trying to save people’
Nahray Crisden was his mother’s greatest blessing when she gave birth to him on Sept. 16, 2000 after struggling with serious health issues for most of her life. For his middle name, she chose Munakk, which means “savior” in Arabic. And Nahray lived up to that name. He tried to save the young men in […]
Trevonte Marks, a ‘man of the house’ at 15, who aspired to be a designer, rapper
Trevonte Marks never wore a bad outfit. Whether it was his school uniform or if he was dressing up for a special occasion, Trevonte, or better known as Tre, always made sure he looked good. Inspired by his dad and uncle’s style, Trevonte loved streetwear and sneaker culture, as noted by his impressive collection of […]
Khyrie Isaac, 18, a ‘beast’ on the football field looking to start a clothing brand
Off the football field, Khyrie Isaac, could be silly and lighthearted once you got to know him, but put a helmet on him and he was a force to be reckoned with. His mother even called him a beast on the field. “He loved the sport and lived and breathed it,” said his father, Schaine. […]
Writing Heals: Marcus Yates, a 5-year-old Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka with dimples that melted hearts
This story was produced as part of our Writing Heals program, in which we hire a family member of the deceased to write the story of the loved one they lost. For more information or to sign up to write about someone you lost to gun violence, click here. ___________________________________________________ By Rochelle Yates-Whittington, Marcus’ mother There […]
Angel L. Torres III, 22, Philly sports fan with a remarkable memory for stats
Angel Luis Torres III wasn’t an ordinary sports fan. He immersed himself in statistics, memorizing data on players from the major leagues all the way down to the local high school teams. He and his mother, Christy Hernandez Torres, shared a passion for sports. They took part in fantasy football, but baseball was Angel’s true […]
James Walke III: Years after his murder, his family still seeks answers
To Yullio Robbins, every day is February 23, 2016. That’s the day that her old life ended and her current reality set in: On that afternoon, her son James Walke III was shot and killed in Germantown. Investigators have not identified a suspect, despite having a surveillance video showing the gunman running from the scene. […]
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