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.

Dwyane Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union have been supportive 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 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 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.