Obituaries 323
Damon Venson, 17, a ‘Dennis the Menace’ who talked his way out of trouble quoting the Bible
Damon Venson was the kind of teenager who made an impression the moment he walked into a room. He always looked good, always smelled good, and always had a smile that made people want to be around him. “Damon loved the ladies, and the ladies loved him,” his mother, Charmaine Venson, said with a laugh. […]
Writing Heals: Jameel Devlin, 46, ‘not your typical kid’ who grew up to be a barber and loving father
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 Yasmin Devlin-Barnes, Jameel’s mother […]
Writing Heals: Mecca Liles Harris, 14, a ‘spunky’ urban cowgirl who could have been a professional polo player
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 Dr. Shirley Jean Waites-Howard, who […]
Writing Heals: Jamil Malik Howell, 32, ‘Traregular’ guy who was there for his 2 girls
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. Photo credits: Kriston Bethel ___________________________________________________ By Michele Ruffin, […]
Souleymane Magassouba, 31, beloved Center City parking attendant who came from Guinea for a better life
Souleymane Magassouba was stepping out a store he spotted someone who would change his life. Shay Johnson got off the train, on her way to pick up her son from daycare, and bumped into him. He stopped her, but she waved him off, not interested at first. It wasn’t until she came back with her […]
Antoine Coleman, Jr., 17, Aspiring Mechanic Who Treasured Connecting With Family
Through the power of Facebook, Antoine Coleman, Jr. finally met his father at age 15 after spending years searching for him. Antoine was ecstatic as the pair ate dinner at a TGI Fridays in the mall and compared notes on fashion and music. They shared the same facial features and “big ears,” Altaron Robinson remembered. […]
Christian Miranda Torres, 42, forklift operator, protector and ‘MacGyver’ of the family
If something was broken in the house, you didn’t call a handyman—you called Christian. If your car needed fixing or your fridge refused to budge, Christian Miranda Torres was the guy who figured it out with nothing more than a look and a plan. “He was the MacGyver of the family,” his sister Maria Miranda […]
Antoine Coleman, Jr., 17, Aspiring Mechanic Who Treasured Connecting With Family
Through the power of Facebook, Antoine Coleman, Jr. finally met his father at age 15 after spending years searching for him. Antoine was ecstatic as the pair ate dinner at a TGI Fridays in the mall and compared notes on fashion and music. They shared the same facial features and “big ears,” Altaron Robinson remembered. […]
Jason Conley, 38, former Marine who started a hot dog cart and loved his only son
Imagine the nation celebrating your birthday every year and you were the center of attention. This happened everywhere Jason went on the 4th of July because that was a perk of being born that day of the Bicentennial Year— July 4, 1976. He had been born at the Walter Reid Army Hospital in Washington, D.C., and […]
Ra’d Moore, 33, schoolteacher at North Philly charter who worked with autistic youth
If it weren’t for the crab fries, maybe they never would have met. Ra’D Moore was stopping into the Chickie’s N Pete’s in Marlton, New Jersey, to pick up takeout when he bumped into Natalia Baranowski during the NBA playoffs. She was at the bar waiting for a girlfriend, and his food was taking a […]
Mario Pedro, 34, family man who enjoyed reading the Daily News
Mario Pedro picked up a copy of the Philadelphia Daily News every single day. He devoured the newspaper front-to-back, learning about everything happening in the city. “Every day he made sure he went to the store and got him a Daily News,” Cheryl Pedro, Mario’s mother, remembered. “He just loved to read the whole paper.” […]
Isaiah Jewett, 22: ‘He was the ultimate gentleman’
Isaiah Jewett and Alexandra Guzman met as teenagers at a placement facility in Montgomery County. Isaiah set himself apart from the other boys who tried to catch her attention—he was quiet and respectful. “One day, he asked if I wanted to play Uno, and the rest is history,” Alexandra said. They spent as much time […]
Richard “Mugga” Scutt, 32, a proud father who was even friends with the mail lady
Richard Scutt had a good heart and touched a lot of souls in short period of time. The thing is, that can be said about a lot of people, but how many reach into the hearts of people that others ignore on a day to day basis—like the mail carrier? One day Richard noticed the […]
Shyheim Jones, 23, a daredevil who was growing into a man, but still said,”Mooooooooooom”
Chances are if you saw Shyheim Jones on the street, he would be zipping down the road on a dirt bike. He loved tinkering with his bike and fixing other motorcycles, a skill he picked up from his older cousins. “My sons were all always good with their hands,” said Shyheim’s mom, Elizabeth. “As they […]
McHale Daniel, 32: ‘That boy was always doing something to keep me on my toes’
McHale Daniel was affectionately known to many as Kel, but his mother, Robin Clark, had her own nickname for him—Mannyunk. “As a baby I would be playing or changing him and she yelled Mannyunk and McHale laughed and smiled uncontrollable,” Robin said. “That’s why I gave him the nickname because he had a positive response […]
Most viewed
