Gun Violence 265
Brian Madera, 22, high-flying truck driver and ‘happy soul’
Brian Madera was living large and proud, sometimes grossing $7,000 a week driving his 18-wheeler, Big Bertha, and blowing nearly half of it in one weekend at the club. He took frequent vacations to the Dominican Republic, where his family was from, and would blare Bachata music when he showed up for work at 2 […]
Khalil Hicks, 39, a father who designed and sold clothing
In the summer of 1997, Khalil Hicks and Saleemah Oglesby set eyes on each other for the first time outside of Power 99 FM’s annual Powerhouse concert. They had mutual friends, and the group had purchased tickets for the concert. But when they tried to enter the concert with the tickets, they found out they […]
Kyron Howerton, 24, doting father who “fixed everything”
Kyron “Rondo” Howerton was an unabashed “momma’s boy.” He and his mother, Kimberly, hung out at the mall, walked along the Delaware River waterfront, cooked soul food together, and swapped relationship and parenting advice. When Kimberly dropped more than 130 pounds, Kyron cheered her on Instagram: “Ma, you got this! You’re looking like a snack […]
Ninetyfive South Stewart, 30, a vegan who made family his priority
He went by Anthony and Kareem at different points in his life, but by the time he became an adult, Ninetyfive South Stewart had embraced his unusual name. “It brought him a lot of attention, and he loved attention,” his sister Darlene Lee said. Ninetyfive was born at the Dover Toll Plaza in Delaware on […]
Protected: Raymond Holmes, 39, Mr. Fix-It and Doting Family Man
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Latoya Wright, 37, mother of four who had a gigantic personality
Everyone who went to Latoya Wright’s house in North Philadelphia knew they were in for a good time. Her home served as a gathering spot for family, especially around the holidays, where the music was always blasting and Latoya was the center of attention. “My sister was the main entertainment. She had a gigantic personality,” […]
Jayden Lucas, 18: ‘He died doing what he loved, playing basketball’
When Jayden Lucas was in middle school, he would go out of his way to meet Makayla Myers as they navigated their way on SEPTA from Northeast Philadelphia, where they lived, to Center City. She saw him as just a friend, but as they got older, their relationship blossomed. Jayden got his first car in […]
Zah’Air Chatmon, 21: ‘He dreamed of flying high’
Growing up, Zah’Air Chatmon was never given a BB gun or a Super Soaker. Living in a violent South Philadelphia neighborhood, his mother didn’t want her son’s fingers getting too comfortable with triggers. At age 17, Jeannette Barnes was blessed with a smooth pregnancy and even smoother transition upon leaving the hospital with her baby […]
Quincy White, 25: Creative, fun and playful
QuincyQ White was his mother’s golden child—literally. “Some people called him ‘cinnamonny’ because he had the color of light cinnamon,” his mother, Theresa Madison, said. “I called him my sandy boy because he had the light hair and the light eyes, and his skin looked to me like it was sand.” It just so happens […]
Aidan Seddon, 18: ‘The things he wanted to do, he was doing them’
Aidan Seddon didn’t care much for school, but that changed in his senior year. After struggling with online classes at first, Aidan found his groove, worked hard and graduated with honors from Roman Catholic High School in 2020. Like many members of his class, Aidan was disappointed by the anticlimactic ending. “He felt like he […]
Alan Womack Jr., 28, passionate about fitness, fashion and family
At 6 feet, 4 inches, Alan Womack Jr. stood out. He loved fashion and he made frequent trips to the King of Prussia Mall, which wasn’t far from his home. Alan was “very intentional” about living in King of Prussia in order to stay safe from the gun violence plaguing North Philadelphia, where he grew […]
Tyrone Armstrong, 36: ‘He left an impact on all of us’
Wherever he was, Tyrone Armstrong always had a Bible with him. Whether it was his pocket-sized Bible he kept in his car or the one he had in his house, he was always reading and annotating it. It didn’t start off that way. Tyrone grew up in a mainly Muslim household, but when he was […]
Clayton ‘Lil Roh’ Ferris, 29, tried to steer neighborhood kids on the right path
Clayton Ferris knew firsthand that it takes a village to raise a child, yet when he encountered an 11-year-old drug dealer in his West Philadelphia neighborhood, he didn’t call for backup. Instead, Clayton counseled the boy that there are other ways to make money, such as washing cars or sweeping the streets — activities that, […]
Jaleel Huggins-Cotton, 21, aspired to be the father he never had
In the summer of 2019, Jaleel Huggins-Cotton laid eyes on his father for the first time since he was six months old. It was Jaleel’s mother’s birthday and, on a whim, Takeya Huggins Cotton Tilghman took her son to the old neighborhood in West Philadelphia to see if the absent side of his family might […]
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 […]
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