By Elizabeth Sanders
Staff Writer
Friends of Shyne placed flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals at the site of the accident
It may come as a surprise to learn that Shyne wasn’t Shyne Piper’s real name, but a shortened version of a nickname her mother gave her as a child. It was a name Principal Freeman adopted the moment Shyne started at R.J. Reynolds High School: Sunshyne. A fitting title for a girl described as bright by all her loved ones.
“Every time she walked in a room, everyone’s mood changed [for the better],” Destiny Brown, a friend of Shyne’s, said.
Not only did Shyne have a sunny disposition, but she was also from a sunny state. She moved from California to Winston-Salem just a year before starting at Reynolds. Though she did her best to keep smiling, the transition was a struggle; Shyne didn’t like being the “new girl” and often felt as if she didn’t belong. Fortunately, once she arrived at Reynolds, Shyne quickly found her people.
“She loved all her friends,” Dorothy Meagher, Shyne’s mother, said, “It was a rough start, but she was doing so much better. I was so proud of her.”
On February 7th, Shyne was a passenger in a fatal, single-vehicle accident. She died at the scene early that morning. Reynolds students were informed via email later that day and returned to school on Monday—following two weeks of snow days—shaken by the news.
In response to her death, Shyne’s friends created a memorial site where the crash occurred and released blue balloons in her honor, blue being both Shyne’s favorite color and the color she had dyed her hair. Two of the balloon releases took place on the Reynolds campus.
“With any student that we’ve lost over the years, there’s something around campus that memorializes them,” Principal Calvin Freeman said, “We always want them to be a part of our family here.”
A service was held for Shyne in her home state of California, followed by a celebration of life with her extended family. She was treasured across the country, from California to North Carolina, and she cherished every person who loved her in return.
“If Shyne loved you, it was meant for her to be in your life,” Meagher said. “And that means that she was loved back, and for that, I love every last one of her friends. Strive for the best…do it for Shyne.”
Even for those who didn’t know Shyne personally, her legacy applies: honor those you have lost by finding the joy and Shyne in your own life.