Obituaries 347
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 […]
Ajanai Stinson-Downing, 22, Level Up Philly volunteer and choreographer who ‘saw potential where others saw uncertainty’
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 […]
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. […]
Robert Muckelston Jr, 38, prankster who loved Brittany Spears almost as much as his son
If you spent any time with Robert “Bobby” Muckelston Jr., you probably ended up laughing — or being pranked. His greatest hits started long before adulthood, back when he was in the Scouts. He grew up to become an Eagle Scout, working as a camp counselor at Camp Hart and Camp Garrison. Whenever a group […]
Donte Mack, 28, fisherman who could belt out John Legend—and cook you breakfast
When Donte Mack came home after 14 months away, his family threw him a surprise welcome-home party. But Donte had a surprise of his own. He walked in with gifts for everyone else. “For some people he made cards,” said his mother, Tonya Mack. “For me, he made a mother’s plaque made out of wood. […]
Angelique Holloman, 15, hilarious on TikTok, so compassionate in life she couldn’t wait to be a foster mom
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 […]
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 […]
Ronald Wilford, 27: “Booooogie!” was a protector who made everyone feel safe
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 Donna Jones, Ronald’s […]
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 […]
Diallo Braheme Gray, 26, a Trekkie and Army veteran who was the ‘MacGyver’ of the family
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 RuNett Ebo, mother […]
Craig “215 Stacks” Thomas Jr, 21, an accomplished musician and ‘just the perfect kind of person’
More than anything, Craig Thomas, also known as 215 Stacks, was wrapped in joy, bringing his infectious smile and positivity everywhere he went. It was a love for life and making people laugh that began early, when he couldn’t help but pull pranks on his family. “I remember when we were younger and I went […]
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 […]
Derief Brady, 38, protector, car lover, and “Uncle Dad” who made sure his sisters always felt celebrated
Every birthday, without fail, Derief Brady showed up with a gift for his younger sisters. For Alesha Brady, it was almost always the same thing: a shiny new bike. “He gave me a bike for my birthday probably up until I was 13,” Alesha said with a laugh. “I don’t know how many bikes I […]
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