Shy’s pastor, Rev. Dr. David Roberson, became a father figure for her. He said that Shy had always been a leader. But she’s only ever been comfortable in the background.
“She would tell the kids what to do,” he says, his whole face smiling at her as they reminisce in his office on one of Shy’s many return trips home, “and then when they did it, she would sit back and act like she didn’t tell them anything. She never wanted credit.”
Though confident, Shy is still deeply and visibly uncomfortable with any sort of attention—she hates having her picture taken and avoids eye contact when asked to explain her seemingly untiring service.
“That’s my mom again,” Shy responds, when asked where her humility comes from, pulling forward a few of her shoulder-length braids to cover her mouth. “She would say, ‘It’s not about money. It’s not about fame. It’s not about recognition. It’s all about how you treat people.’ That was it. I didn’t know how to operate any other way.”
The apple hasn’t fallen far from the giving tree.
Shy’s life-purpose—found through the tenants of love, faith, and humility—now inform all of Shy’s outreach work, both professionally and in her volunteer activities. And in her relationship with her mom.
They are each other’s favorite people—”next to Jesus” they’ve both added.
Wary of taking credit for her clear influence on Shy, Jackie believed the source of Shy’s devotion to doing good is simple.
“It’s the capacity for love that both of us have; that’s the foundation,” Jackie said. “From there, you don’t have that far to go.”