Samuelle Buie

Samuelle Buie was a 25-year-old son of Washington, D.C., whose family remembered him for a ready smile, an optimistic attitude and the warmth he showed to those around him. After spending time away from the area, Samuelle returned to the District hoping to find better employment opportunities. To support himself while searching, he drove for Uber and had also worked as an aide at a District high school, roles that spoke to his willingness to work and to be around people.

Family members described Samuelle as sweet and loving, quick with a hug and the words “I love you,” and someone who tried to look on the bright side even when things were difficult. Those simple gestures — a smile at the door, a comforting embrace, a laugh shared with friends and relatives — are the details family and friends recall when they think of him.

Though public records and news accounts focus on the events surrounding his untimely death on November 11, 2016, what remains most important is the human life behind those headlines: a young man with family ties, work he undertook to provide for himself, and the small, everyday kindnesses that made him unique to those who knew him. The outpouring of remembrance at the site where he and another young man were killed — small shrines and memories kept by a grieving community — is a quiet testament to the people who loved him and to the places he touched.

Samuelle’s life, while cut far too short, mattered to the people who knew him. His family’s memories of his humor, hugs and hopeful spirit endure, and those who carry his memory forward honor the person he was rather than the manner in which he died.