‘They called her the kid whisperer’

Shelby Humble-Neale was a light in a dark room with a special connection to young children in need of a boost.

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“They called her the ‘kid whisperer’,” recalled Shelby’s mother, Debbie. “She taught dance and there were always some kids who were hesitant about participating.

“Shelby would whisper something to them and off they’d go.”

Children were her passion, Neale said.

“She was an ECE (early childhood educator) and she’d come home after working with children all day and she would just glow,” Neale said.

Shelby died when a tree fell at a campground at Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area in May 2022 during a severe storm. The storm cut through a swath of Ontario, uprooting trees, knocking down hydro wires and resulted in 10 deaths across the province.

Shelby’s passing was a devastating blow to her loved ones and the broader community. She is remembered for her kindness, caring nature and outgoing spirit.

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For the past two years, loved ones have gathered in Waterworks Park for a memorial fund-raising walk in Shelby’s memory and in support of the SickKids Foundation. The foundation raises money for The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

The walk, which has raised $21,127.75 so far, has been a private affair since its inception. But this year, it is open to everyone as the family seeks to get closer to their fund-raising goal of $50,000.

“We want to get the community involved because we want the walk to continue after we reach our goal,” said Darin Neale, Shelby’s father. “After we raise $50,000 for SickKids, we want to raise funds for local organizations that support children.

“We also want people to know about the impact Shelby had on the lives of children.”

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A graduate of St. John’s College, Shelby was also a graduate of the Mohawk College early childhood educator’s program.

Darin described his daughter as a “light in a dark room.”

If you were feeling down, Shelby found a way to raise you up, Darin said.

The walk is an opportunity for people to get together and share a story or two about Shelby, Darin said.

The walk takes place at 10 am on Sept. 28 in Brantford at Waterworks Park (400 Grand River Ave). It is being supported by SickKids Foundation.

“This funding keeps SickKids nimble and able to respond to urgent needs while advancing our mission to provide leading medical care to young patients across Toronto, Ontario and the country,” Courtney McFadden, associate, Community Partnerships for SickKids said.

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McFadden thanked Shelby’s family and friends for their ongoing support.

There is a bench dedicated to Shelby’s memory close to the new pavilion in the park, just beyond the Rotary Bike Park. There is also a large stone which includes a plaque at the base of an oak tree.

Jake MacLeod, Shelby’s boyfriend, created the memorial.

“She would come down here a lot with Jake or a group of friends,” Debbie said. “They’d walk, maybe put the canoe in the (Grand) river and maybe do some fishing.

“This was her favorite spot to be, this meant something to her.”

Neale said her daughter always saw the good in people.

“She would always reach out and help and try to show people the good in life,” Debbie said. “She swayed people from lives that were headed in the wrong direction.

“She truly made a difference in the lives of several people.”

To register for the walk visit www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/a05305a5-dc80-4121-901c-08fdd43b2aff .

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