Meet Shirley Raines, CNN’s 2021 Hero of the Year. This article primarily explores what happened to her son Demetrius Jay Stephens Jr., her work with the non-profit organization Beauty2thestreetz, and her story. We also covered her age and information about her related to her husband.
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Meet Shirley Raines, CNN’s 2021 Hero of the Year
Shirley Raines won CNN’s 2021 Hero of the Year title. Along with the degree, she received $100,000 to invest in community service. She is best known for her work with Beauty2thestreetz, which she founded in 2015. Speaking of Beauty2thestreetz, the nonprofit was started entirely out of her pocket by Shirley Raines.
Shirley certainly didn’t start a nonprofit because she had more to give, but her caring nature allowed her to do something remarkable that was recognized. Through the non-profit organization, she was able to feed over 400 people and also provide them with showers, hair wash, makeup, wigs, and most importantly, a human connection.
Additionally, by documenting people’s lives and living conditions, the non-profit organization was able to raise awareness of the tragic situation of the homeless.
Shirley’s monthly trip to Skid Row included hair washing, hair coloring, beauty and makeup instruction, along with basics like food and clothing. While Skid Row’s parameters are constantly changing due to homeless insecurity, it is primarily made up of Third and Seventh Streets to the north and south, as well as Alameda Avenue and Main Street to the east and west.
The nonprofit organization cited the sites as the epicenter of Los Angeles’ homeless community, with some 5,000 homeless people along its corridors. This is where Shirley and her team perform her operations.
Shirley Raines Story
A personal tragedy in the life of Shirley Raines is the beginning of Beauty2thestreetz, which has grown into something bigger than imaginable and has touched the lives of hundreds of people across the United States. She lost her son three years earlier, prompting her to search for her life’s purpose.
The CNN hero explained: “This is caused by my pain. One of the worst painful experiences of my life. This is a non-profit organization focused on pain. And that’s why I fight so hard for it.”
When Shirley began volunteering to help people less fortunate than she was, she found the spark she craved. She shared, “I saw these broken people, and we looked into each other’s eyes, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re just like me,'” she told Glamour.
One of Shirley’s many charity jobs was applying makeup, which she claimed was used to hide her trauma and pain. At that time, she volunteered with other organizations. With the help of her six children, she founded Beauty2TheStreetz.
Now, in 2021, Shirley has a team of 30 hard at work.
Speaking to HI Lo, he shared, “They call me an angel, but I’m not an angel; I’m broken. Homeless? They are like me: broken. The broken recognize the broken.”
What happened to Shirley Raines’ son?
Shirley Raines lost her firstborn son, Demetrius Jay Stephens Jr., just five days before his third birthday, on September 6, 1990, to an accidental prescription drug overdose. Shirley, who was 22 at the time, had it from a previous marriage. She and her then-husband were living in a hotel room after returning to Long Beach from San Diego.
The hotel room they lived in was small and Demetrius didn’t have enough space to play. One day, her grandmother Sally Logan offered to babysit her great-grandson at her house so he could spend time outdoors.
Before Shirley’s relationship with her mother deteriorated, her relationship with her grandmother improved. He remembered her as the only person who made her find a purpose in her life, even though she believed it would be nothing of hers.
Shirley dropped her son off at his grandmother’s house and allowed him to sleep over, something she hadn’t done before. But when she came to pick up her son the next day, she realized something was wrong because Demetrius was sleepy and couldn’t walk on his own.
Unbeknownst to Shirley and her grandmother, Demetrius obtained prescription drugs from a relative. His son was immediately rushed to the hospital as Shirley struggled to keep him awake. She picked him up and let him sleep and told him that she would always love him.
On the day of her son’s death, Shirley promised herself that she would end his life. But her level of depression made her forget her suicidal thoughts about her. She became a zombie in real life at one point, as she told PEOPLE.
Shirley got her first glimpse of hope when she went to a local church, where worshipers convinced her it was time to see her grandmother. Logan sobbed when he saw Raines later appear on his front porch.
Shirley forgave her grandmother, and six months after the accident, her grandmother died of cancer.
Shirley Raines Net Worth
As of 2021, Shirley Raines reportedly has a net worth of nearly $300K.
How old is Shirley Raines?
As of 2021, Shirley Raines is 53 years old.
Related FAQ
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Where was Shirley Raines born?
Shirley Raines was born in Los Angeles, California.
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Is Shirley Raines married?
Shirley Raines was previously married to her husband Demetrius Stephens Sr. His current marital status is unknown. However, he shared on his Twitter that he has 5 stray husbands.
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How tall is Shirley Raines?
Shirley Raines is over 5 feet 7 inches tall.
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Is Shirley Raines on Instagram, TikTok?
Shirley’s IG account (@beauty2thestreetz) has 250k followers. She is also on TikTok (@beauty2thestreetz) with 3.6 million followers and 72.8 million likes on her videos. Her Twitter account is (@beauty2streetz).
Categories: Biography
Source: newstars.edu.vn