Julien Keating Gibbs, 19 years old, died suddenly on March 16, 2020.

Julien was lovingly welcomed into this world on June 14, 2000, in Portland Maine. He was instantly sweet and lovely and grew into a charming, kind, funny, brilliant, gregarious boy. Julien's charismatic smile and magnetic personality made everyone want to just be near him and every single person that knew him was better off for loving him. He enjoyed exercise, music, and dancing in the kitchen. He loved fishing and hunting and being outdoors in nature. He loved the warmth of the sun on his face and he was loved as a son by his entire church family. Julien was passionate for spreading the gospel through evangelism and on missions trips. He was fiercely protective of and close to his siblings, and loved immeasurably by his mom and dad. He graduated from Carolina Forest High School in 2018 and attended Coastal Carolina University.

Julien is survived by his heartbroken parents, Lance and Ashley Gibbs. He will live forever in the hearts of his siblings Jevaughn, Nora, and Emmanuel Gibbs, all from Myrtle Beach; maternal grandparents Patrice Keating and Stephen Roberts; maternal grandfather George Dorsey; and paternal grandmother, Elma Bigby. Julien's extended family spans widely, but he will especially be missed by his cousins MacKenzie, Hannah, and Jameson Keating Ehlers; his great aunts Christina Keating and Arne Bonay; his Godparents Sarah Mills and Andrew Gobeil, and their children Sam, Emma, and Olive; his great uncle Luke Keating; his cousins Jessica and Doug Stewart and their children Colin, Claire, and Caroline. He also will be greatly missed by his best friend, Quasim Porter, and his youth pastor and cherished friend, David Duran.

Julien was celebrated and beloved as a son, brother, cousin, nephew, and friend. Please know that Julien died from an epidemic that is stealing too many of our children and our loved ones. Julien died from Marijuana laced with Fentanyl. Just one time is all it takes. We will never have the pleasure of knowing fully the type of man Julien would have been or experiencing what he would have become or how he would have positively impacted this world. Drugs stole my son. My boy was to be a light in this world and if his light during his life was unable to shine as bright as it should've due to the complexities of addiction and influence, I pray that his light would shine brighter in his death.

If you find yourself struggling with addiction, please get help. If you find yourself being offered drugs, please remember my boy and refuse to take them. You go in the direction of your friends, so please choose them well. This is an epidemic and there's no shame in stating the facts, but please remember that this wonderful boy, Julien Keating Gibbs was loved, cherished, and cared for well, and yet with all of that we were not able to prevent his death. May you rest easy my sweet son. May the peace of God surround you for all of eternity. God is close to the broken hearted and rescues those whose spirits are crushed.