Marion Christopher Barry, son of late D.C. mayor Marion Barry, passed away Sunday morning from a drug overdose.
Known as Christopher Barry, the 36-year-old struggled with drug abuse, much like his father, and according to D.C. Councilman Jim Graham, would go through bouts of sobriety. Witnesses reported that Barry had stepped outside to smoke K-2 and PCP around midnight and returned “acting crazy” before he suddenly collapsed. When help arrived, Barry was found unconscious and was taken to George Washington University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Cora Masters Barry, Barry’s stepmother wrote in a statement to WTOP, “My heart is broken. I am in shock. The news of his death is beyond comprehension.”
WANT MORE FROM ESSENCE? Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest in hair, beauty, style and celebrity news
Councilman Jim Graham also told the Washington news site, “Something very, very good has been lost here. I saw it up close, in terms of what he was able to do, and this is a tragedy.” Graham met Barry through his father and spent time with Christopher during his 2015 run for the Ward 8 council seat left vacant after his father’s death.
Despite Christopher’s struggles, community members told NBC Washington that Barry always looked out for them. One man revealed, “Through him I saw strength, I saw vulnerability. I saw the type of heart that creates a community.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with Barry’s family, friends, and community.