Genell "Jamel" Antoine Downing

Jamel (Genell) Antoine Downing was born on September 15, 1978, the youngest of twins, at Interboro Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Jamel and Anthony did everything together – attending Head Start, elementary, middle and high school, riding Big Wheels and bikes. Growing up, they loved to go to school and learn different things. They were academically and artistically gifted. Their drawings were so good, it was believed that they used tracing paper, but they didn’t. As twins, their lives were intertwined. You wouldn’t see one without the other until college. They attended different colleges, Jamel obtained his Associates degree in Applied Science, Information Technology in 2000 and graduated from City College of Technology (City Tech) with a Bachelors in Technology for Computer Systems in 2003. Jamel enjoyed watching Martin reruns, laughing loud enough to hear throughout the house. He also liked watching Maury Povich and Judge Lauren Lake episodes that centered around paternity test results. Jamel and Anthony could be found on the courts in Nehemiah Park in Brownsville and eventually at Highland Park playing basketball. Jamel worked at Kings County Hospital for 15 years managing everything according to his co-workers. He made many friends, as was proven when they visited him at Brookdale Hospital during his illness. Jamel’s lifelong friends, to whom he was very loyal, include Jermaine Canada, Willie Bell, Brian (Shameek) James, Franklin (China) Santiago, Rashamell Smith, just to name a few. Jamel had a heart for his people. He always spoke up whenever he witnessed injustices against Black people. He admired real Black history and talked about it whenever and wherever he could. Jamel had a particular passion for the children. They were the helpless and the most vulnerable. He encouraged mothers to eat right and make decisions in the best interest of those who couldn’t fight for themselves. He was also compassionate towards animals and helped them when he could. Saying of his twin, “Jamel was more friendly than me. He was very loyal unless he thought you turned on him. He believed in the truth. Jamel was a blessing on this earth and it was a pleasure to have him as my twin brother. May the Most High continue to bless him. We will miss him until we leave this earth and join him with the Father.” Jamel leaves to cherish him his mother, Jean Harrington, siblings Ronald, Poppy, Tawana, Dwain, his twin, Anthony, Cheryl, John, Amber and Anthony, nephews Robert, Christopher, Destinee, Fernando and Messiah, nieces Jeaneen, Ashley, Najah, Aereaol, Jackie, Cheyenne and Talea and a host of aunts, uncles, family and friends. We loved you through thick and thin, until the very end. Good-Bye my brother. You left us entirely too soon. I love you more than anything in this world and we will all see you later. Your Brother and Best Friend Anthony

Genell "Jamel" Antoine Downing

September 15, 1978 - February 10, 2020