smiley

A large smiley face scratched into a nearby rock survived unscathed.

Born and raised in North Las Vegas, Cristian, a Latino ex-car-mechanic with a cross around his neck, summarized his recent life and times for me in a smiley, “so it goes” tone: A few years ago, the pandemic lockdowns shut down the Valley and completely cleared the cities of their crowds, he said—but business was coming back, the population was growing again, and prices were going up.

Indeed, many fans remember him as a smiley singer of feel-good tunes – a far cry from the horrifically dark image painted of his final moments.

In 2020, a Singaporean activist who had long campaigned for freedom of speech was arrested for posing with a placard of a smiley face.

"I've just had to sit down. I keep re-reading his name thinking everyone's got it wrong. Not this man, not this beautiful, smiley, talented man," she posted on X.