Wahseem Mason, athletic dad and game enthusiast who cared for his community, dies at 15
Wahseem was shot Oct. 27 on the 800 block of South Cecil Street in Cobbs Creek and died two days later, just weeks shy of his 16th birthday.
Editor’s note: This obituary is presented in partnership with The Philadelphia Obituary Project, a nonprofit committed to memorializing city victims of homicide whose deaths have otherwise been overlooked.
Besides loving sports data, Wahseem Mason was a gamer, and his mother, Nadira Madison, remembers it almost cost her $600 to find out.
Wahseem was in fifth grade, spending another afternoon playing video games and enjoying the experience, but he needed extra money to purchase more levels. The system was already set up in Madison’s name, including her credit card information. Wahseem thought nothing of it and bought hundreds of dollars in additional games.
“I was like, ‘What are you doing?!’” Madison recalled, laughing. “He was like, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know.’”
She remembers that innocent look, the childlike expression that stayed with his personality into his teen years. Wahseem was lovable to all, she said.
“I didn’t realize how much of a friend he was,” Madison said. “It was so overwhelming to see how many people said so many good things about him at his funeral.”
Madison was overjoyed to hear how much Wahseem meant to many in his community, and on how he counseled fellow schoolmates, more so to lend an ear. She was particularly affected by the story of one struggling student who didn’t have any lunch money one day and Wahseem was kind enough to give him his own cash.
Wahseem was shot Oct. 27 on the 800 block of South Cecil Street in Cobbs Creek and died on Oct. 29, just weeks before his 16th birthday on Nov. 15.
Police made an arrest earlier this month in connection with Wahseem’s death but have not disclosed a motive for the shooting.
Although he loved to joke around and play around like a big kid, Wahseem knew to care for his responsibilities, which included a son, Nasim, his mother said.
At 6′1″ and with facial hair, Wahseem appeared older than his age, and was attractive and charismatic. Athletic, he played lots of basketball on the street and was a massive Lakers fan. But he also was enamored with the logistics behind the game and focused on sports data. Perhaps he could’ve gone into sports management, Madison speculated.
Wahseem wanted to go to school in Los Angeles. And although he struggled with homeschooling because of the pandemic, he always took care of business in school when attending in person, Madison said. He was your typical boy, wanting to have fun, hang out with friends and play sports, but he had a good head on his shoulders and a big heart, she added.
Wahseem was also talented enough to rap and hit the studio to record some tracks. Madison said she was shocked to see him writing and producing his own music. It was another of her son’s traits: continuing to surprise people with his aspirations, she said.
“He did not deserve to be shot. Wahseem always put a smile on your face and that always made you feel good,” said Madison, whose picture Wahseem used as a screen saver on his phone. He called her his “favorite lady.”
Madison quietly reflected on that for a moment: “He wasn’t afraid to tell you he cared for you and it showed when he said it.”
In addition to his mother and son, Wahseem is survived by his father, Wahkuri Mason; his girlfriend, Chaniyah Graves; and several sisters.
His burial was in Philadelphia.
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