*The cause of death for beloved homeless advocate Shirley Raines has been revealed as hypertensive heart disease, PEOPLE reports.
Her daughter Danielle disclosed that high blood pressure was an ongoing health concern for her mother, and that she had been under medical care for the condition prior to her death.
Authorities conducted a wellness check at her Nevada residence in January, where she was discovered unresponsive and later declared dead at 58. Family has arranged a private farewell for next Monday, while a community gathering open to the public will take place on a date still to be confirmed.
Raines built Beauty 2 The Streetz into a movement that brought tangible resources — including haircuts, hygiene supplies, hot meals, and shower access — to people experiencing homelessness along Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles. She operated out of Long Beach and showed up without fail, week after week, until residents knew they could count on her. “The reality of Skid Row is that it took a long time to earn that trust. I’m asking someone to close their eyes, lay their head back and be vulnerable,” she told ABC7 in 2019. “It took years of coming back every single Saturday.”
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Growing up in Compton and spending more than two decades working in healthcare, Raines carried personal experience that gave her a unique understanding of the people she served. “I’m a woman who actually lived this life in the streets, buried a child, went through traumatic relationships, was almost homeless myself, picked myself up, been working in the medical field for 26 years. I’m still very much ghetto, but I survived that,” she said. “I’m able to say, ‘I get it. I understand. But you’ve got to just get through it.'”
Rashawn Williams, who is both Raines’s daughter and a fellow volunteer with Beauty 2 The Streetz, expressed a grief softened by gratitude. “She loved to help people,” Rashawn said, per the Los Angeles Times. “She loved everyone. She’s a beautiful soul, and she just carried so much. She really loved my baby brother who passed away. I’m just so happy for her that she gets to be with him. It’s bittersweet.”
The staff and volunteers of Beauty 2 The Streetz paid tribute to their founder in an official statement. “Ms. Shirley dedicated her life to serving others and made an immeasurable impact on homeless communities throughout Los Angeles and Nevada,” the organization wrote.
“Through her tireless advocacy, deep compassion, and unwavering commitment, she used her powerful media platform to amplify the voices of those in need and to bring dignity, resources, and hope to some of the most underserved populations.” They closed by affirming that “her legacy will continue to live on through the work she started and the hearts she touched,” they added.
In 2021, CNN recognized Ms. Shirley for her commitment to underserved communities by awarding her its Hero of the Year honor.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Shirley Raines, Skid Row Advocate and Beauty 2 The Streetz Founder, Dies at 58
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