Malik Artese DeBruhl

John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am going.”

Malik Artese DeBruhl, affectionately known as "Leek", was born on November 7, 1992, in Washington, D.C., to Leatrice Malika DeBruhl and Jermaine Artese Thomas. He was the only child of Leatrice and the second eldest child of Jermaine among with two other siblings, Kiara and Da’Vaye.

Following in the footsteps of his mother he was raised in the Islamic faith and soon after at a young age, Malik accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He sought to live by his faith trusting God throughout his journey.

He was raised throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, by his mother earning his other well-known nickname "DMV Leek."

Malik graduated from Bowie High School, Prince George’s County, MD, in 2010. Later that same year, he joined the United States Army Reserves, where he served eight years. Malik was honorably discharged in 2018.

In 2017, Malik met the love of his life, LaTasha. Together, they built a beautiful life and were blessed with two daughters, Alivia and Kassidy.

Malik shared a deep and unbreakable bond with his mother, who lovingly referred to him since birth as her “second heartbeat.”

In addition to being an out-of-this-world father, he had a passion for basketball, playing both in the U.S. Army and in his community. He had a great mind of creativity in many business ventures. He was also an avid gamer who enjoyed playing NBA 2K, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto.

A dedicated and hardworking man, Malik drove trucks and worked the blue-collar world for various companies, most recently working with Habitat for Humanity. He was also an ambitious entrepreneur, pursuing multiple business ventures while furthering his education at Thomas Nelson Community College.

Known for his infectious smile, quirky laugh, and quick-witted humor, Malik had a gift for bringing joy to everyone he met. He always had a slick joke ready to brighten someone’s day.

On January 27, 2025, Malik was called home to be with his Heavenly Father. He leaves behind a loving family to cherish his memory, his beloved mother, Leatrice; father Jermaine; fiancée LaTasha Keene; precious daughters, Alivia Grace and Kassidy Zenayla; sisters, Kiara Anderson and Da’Vaye Mitchell; brothers, Robert and Derekthe; and the Keene family-Mi-ae (Halmoni-Grandmom and second mom to Malik), maternal grandmother, Ernestine DeBruhl (GiGi); paternal uncle, Michael Thomas; maternal aunts and uncles, Stephanie, Lorenzo, Latifa, Asiya, and Hamzah; great-aunts, Adrienne Giles, Alice Marie, and Joann; great-uncle, Joe; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and fellow military family, who will forever hold his memory in their hearts.

Malik’s physical presence, infectious sense of humor, laughter, creativity, and love will be deeply missed, but his spirit will live on in the lives of all he touched. Fly high Angel!

A funeral service with military honors to celebrate Malik's life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at Colossion Baptist Church. Interment will take place at a later date in Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery. 

Professional services have been entrusted to the staff of Whiting's Funeral Home, 7005 Pocahontas Trail, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185. 757-229-3011 whitingsfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Malik Artese DeBruhl, please visit our floral store.