Shane Anthony Peoples-Welch

The Heart of a Young Legend Shane Anthony Peoples-Welch

Unexpected calamity struck Grand Valley State University's campus on October 4, 2011, when Shane Peoples Welch tragically passed away at the age of twenty-one, while playing an innocent game of pickup basketball with friends. He was pronounced dead at the scene due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition causing a thickening of the heart muscle and smaller heart chambers to pump blood. Shane was a scholar, graduating in the top ten percentile of Saginaw High School, Class of 2008 and was preparing to graduate with his Bachelors in Public Administration from the College of Community and Public Administration at Grand Valley State University. Shane was a leader. He was a founding member of Minorities Interested in Business; the first minority operated organization to be affiliated with the Seidman Business School. Shane was a friend. He played a major role in the making of B. L. A. C. K (Black Leaders Aspiring for Critical Knowledge), which served as a brotherhood for black men on campus. Many friends cherished his counsel and ability to listen effectively with no judgment. This collection of original poems and organic memories was curated in honor of the legacy that Shane left in the lives of those he touched. To celebrate his passing, his family and friends want to share his impact with the world. To some Shane was just a boy, but to his family and friends, he is a legend.