The short and tragic life of Robert Peace – Jeff Hobbs

This one hurt. It hit so close to home; a Newark cat with the world at his feet, inherently intelligent combined with an unyielding mother’s love. But he couldn’t let go of the streets. Robert Peace grew up in Newark, Illtown, and it was quickly discovered he was extremely bright. He attended St. Benedict’s Prep and graduated top of his class with a blank check to attend any secondary school of his choosing. He chose Yale and 4 years later, graduated with a degree in molecular biology. He led a dual life, traveling back and forth from Yale to Newark. Attending class and selling weed with his childhood friends. Ultimately, he combined both worlds and created a genetically modified marijuana plant that didn’t need soil to cultivate. Pulling in around a grand a day, he was putting in hard work trying to satisfy the demand.

Once while working at Newark Airport, a co-worker saw Robert scribbling in a diary. Symbols, letters and formulas he had never seen, he thought Robert was just doodling but when he explained to his co-worker it was actually a formula he was working on, the co-worker was so impressed he went to the bosses whom ultimately invited and offered Robert a career in the front office. He turned it down, not one to draw attention to himself, he wanted to load baggages onto planes like a regular guy.

Robert was killed when he was 30. In the very basement where he was growing weed. The loss his mom felt, is unimaginable for she so wanted to experience the pride destined in her son’s success.

Again, this one hurt. There was pain in Robert’s existence, pain in many who so wanted him to succeed and pain in his untimely death.