Rufus “Rome” Whitaker

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

Rufus “Rome” Whitaker made people laugh, made people feel loved, and made sure no one around him ever felt alone. Now, the Washington, DC community is grieving the loss of a man they say was full of life and impossible to forget.

Whitaker, 62, was killed shortly before 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, when the vehicle he was riding in overturned in Greensville County, according to Virginia State Police.

Police reported that a 2005 Volvo XC90 was traveling south on I-95 near the 12-mile marker when it “ran off the right side of the roadway.” 

The driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to cross over to the left side, strike the guardrail, and overturn, coming to rest on its passenger side. 

Whitaker was "partially ejected" and died at the scene.

The driver, DC resident Brenda Bullock, 54, suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to an area hospital.

News of the crash stunned a family already facing another loss. 

One relative shared that they had been waiting for Whitaker and Bullock to arrive at a funeral in North Carolina when they learned what happened. 

“This was my uncle's best friend and my uncle's girlfriend,” the loved one wrote on Facebook. “Lord, we are truly heartbroken and learned of this as soon as it happened. A family already stricken with grief...now to lose another with one critically injured.”

To those who knew him, Whitaker wasn’t just a relative or a friend — he was a light in every room. 

His family wrote on a GoFundMe that “Rome was full of life—funny, warm, and always ready with a joke." 

"He brought joy to everyone around him," Annissia Hall wrote. "He loved his family deeply and truly cherished his friends. He was the kind of person who would give his last to help someone in need.”

The fundraiser asks for support to bring him home. 

“We are kindly asking for your support as we work to bring him home and give him the loving homegoing service he deserves,” they wrote. “No amount is too small, and every contribution is deeply appreciated.”

“Thank you for your prayers, your love, and your support during this incredibly difficult time."