Shane McGee was a kid in constant motion.
“I remember one Easter, we were getting the kids ready to go to church,” his mother Connie McGee recalled, “when Shane decided to sail a raft across the pool.”
“He made it about halfway across, too, before he fell in, getting his nice Easter clothes completely soaked.”
“Shane kept everybody laughing,” his father Bob McGee added.
“He brought a lot of fun to our family,” Connie said. “Sometimes it was like, oh my gosh, you know? But he was always having fun.”
The son of two educators, Shane didn’t sit still enough to enjoy studying. He much preferred taking things apart to figure out how they worked together. His parents think he might have become a mechanic one day, or perhaps an engineer like his older brother.
In 1991, Shane passed away in a car accident. He was 13 years old.
His parents, brother, and sister chose to immortalize him through the Shane McGee Memorial Football Endowed Scholarship at the University of Miami, which Bob and Connie recently enhanced through an additional donation and a planned bequest.
“We chose the University of Miami because he loved going to see the Hurricanes play, and it became a special outing for our family during football season,” Bob said.
“After every game at the Orange Bowl, the kids would run out on the field and throw the football around,” Connie said.
Over the years, the scholarship has supported many student-athletes, including current Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney, former defensive back Vaughn Telemaque, and Baltimore Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell.
The McGees hope that the scholarship empowers young people and empowers them to enjoy their lives, and maybe even go on to help more people in turn.
Campbell, the first recipient of the Shane McGee Memorial Scholarship, did just that. He established his own charitable foundation in honor of his father, carrying forward a legacy of service within his community.
The couple still remember Campbell as the freshman who could lift Bob in a hug or enjoy the birthday cake Connie made especially for him.
Today, they take pleasure in watching each Shane McGee scholar and root for them as if they were part of their family.
“The thing we enjoyed most about teaching was watching kids find themselves, succeed, and feel proud of what they accomplished,” Connie said. “Part of why we give is to help young people succeed and give them the tools to make that success possible.”
“Another reason we created this scholarship in Shane’s name was to keep his memory alive,” she added. “We believe that as long as somebody still says your name, you’re never really gone.”
Those who knew Shane remember him as a bright light. He was an athletic, fun-loving kid who preferred baseball to football.
One day, the regular pitcher on his team was sick, so Shane stepped up and pitched the entire game. After they won, his team honored him with the game ball. He admitted to his parents afterward that he was nervous, but he didn’t let it stop him from trying his best and having fun.
Today, Shane would be in his 40s. His parents still have that game-winning ball with the date of the game inked in Shane’s handwriting.
Three decades later, the Shane McGee Scholarship continues to support students in Shane's name—a lasting tribute created by his parents that has transformed loss into opportunity for future generations.
