Our beautiful Michele, or “Shell” as we called her, was 29 years young when she gave the gift of life to others. Shell was funny, kind, compassionate and caring. She was a wonderful daughter to her mother, Maryann, a best friend to her older sister, Jamie (whom she often visited at Villanova while Jamie was a student there), and a loving companion to her boyfriend, John. She is missed dearly by her many family members and friends. Shell was a great athlete, and this patch is made from her high school soccer jersey. She was an all-star soccer player and team captain in high school, where she wore jersey number 41. Shell graduated from Penn State University (main campus). While there, she was a member of the Omega Phi Alpha sorority (whose letters are represented on the patch). She was also very active with THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world that supports children and families affected by childhood cancer. It meant so much for her to be involved in such a special organization. Shell’s handprints are on display on a mural in downtown State College (along with her sister’s) in the shape of a diamond to represent Four Diamonds, the organization that is the beneficiary of THON’s fundraising efforts. The paw print on the patch represents the Penn State Nittany Lion, but also symbolizes Shell’s love for animals. Shell absolutely loved all animals and was known for taking in stray animals to care for. One of Shell’s fondest memories was the summer she spent studying abroad in Australia and enjoying the nature and wildlife there, which is why we’ve placed the continent of Australia on the patch. Shell was always willing to help others no matter what, and this patch represents her legacy of doing so.
