Dwyane Wade Helped Pay For Funeral Of Gay Teen Who Died Of Suicide

Other celebrities such as Gabrielle Union, Ludacris, and Janelle Monae are helping as well.

BYAlexander Cole
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Dwyane Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union have been supportive of the LGBTQ+ community over the past few years, with Union and Wade's son Zion even being spotted at the Pride Festival in Miami Beach. Just over a week after Union and Zion attended the festival, an Alabama teenager by the name of Nigel Shelby died by suicide after facing incessant anti-gay bullying at school. According to TMZ, Shelby had been struggling with identity issues and suffered from depression.

In order to show support for Nigel's mother, Camika, a campaign was started by Pinky Cole and Lena Waithe. Wade, Union, Ludacris, and Janelle Monae are some of the celebrities who have reached out to Camika and have donated some money to pay for the funeral costs and support her in these trying times. It's unknown how much money was raised, although it is believed there was enough to pay for a tombstone and the funeral services.

The memorial for Shelby was held over the weekend at the Rock Family Worship Center in Huntsville, Alabama where his casket was covered in butterflies and rainbows.

Nigel was just 15 years old when he died.


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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.