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Jelani Maximilien Cobb Graham was a beloved member of St. Michael’s Truth/Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. He was born on January 11, 2011 at Sibley Hospital in Washington, DC. He was the amazing son of Melanie Cobb and Jeffery Graham. From the day he was born, everyone who met him knew he was special because he had an earnestness beyond his years. Jelani was an exceptional child who did everything early- walking, talking, reading, spelling, etc. Jelani also had a sincere interest in getting to know people which he expressed by greeting and talking with complete strangers as if he’d known them forever. Everyone who met him remarked on how amazing he was even with the briefest of encounters. In addition to his intelligence and love for people, Jelani had an extreme affinity for professional football and would often engage in in-depth conversations about teams and players with anyone willing to listen.
Jelani also loved to learn and was fortunate enough to attend institutions that challenged him academically. For his preschool years, he attended Jump Start Early Learning Center and Early Years Child Enrichment. Then he moved on to Maryland International Day School for kindergarten and first grade.
Jelani was taken from us too soon due to brain cancer at the young age of 6. Jelani’s biggest fear about brain cancer was that he’d be forgotten. The Jelani Graham Memorial Community Garden is a testament from the members of St. Michael’s Truth/Our Savior’s Lutheran Church that Jelani will never be forgotten and even though he only lived a brief time, he leaves a lifetime of cherished memories and will always be remembered.