Help Keep Shelby's Legacy Alive

Twenty-two years ago, a sweet little 10 year old without a care in the world was diagnosed with von Hippel Lindau (VHL), a hereditary cancer that shows no compassion to any of its victims. As she went through countless blood tests, brain, spine and kidney MRIs, eye surgeries, visits to doctors all over the east coast, loss of vision, and brain surgery, she prospered at everything that she did. She never let her disease define her and never once acknowledged that she was in a battle for her life with an opponent who played by no rules.

Unless you looked her in the eye or scanned her massive medical record files, you would never know anything was wrong. Throughout her ordeal, she remained with her feet on the ground and enjoyed life as much as possible. Whether it was in the classroom or on the stage, she worked hard and lived life to the fullest.

She did not want anyone to treat her differently. We fondly remember a doctor’s visit where, after two hours waiting to enter an examination room, we impatiently bothered the nurses for a status report. Shelby glared at us and reminded us that there were fifty other people in the room all of whom were sick and deserved to spend as much time as necessary with their doctors. And then, in typical Shelby fashion, dispatched her father to find an Italian hoagie at the local deli to calm our collective nerves. That was Shelby.

One of her Penn State professors told us about how much she looked forward to seeing what kind of outfit Shelby would wear to class. Whether it was a sundress or a sweatshirt along with her favorite Converse sneakers or her combat boots, it was always uniquely, in true Shelby fashion, accessorized with a string of pearls.

Every parent thinks their daughter is an angel, but Shelby was truly an angel. Her sweetness was not contrived or forced. It was genuine. She never had a mean thing to say about anyone or anything and was always there to help or listen. With apologies to her favorite musical, Shelby was our angel of music.

Next week, it will be 10 years since Shelby lost her battle with VHL. Having survived one brain surgery already, she gave it her courageous best to the very end, but her last surgery was just too much for her. Two months short of her 22nd birthday and the start of her prestigious Master’s program and soon to become engaged to the love of her life, she left us.

In the years since her passing, our family and friends have undertaken many efforts to ensure that Shelby will never be forgotten. A major component of this is the Shelby Brooke Reinish Memorial Music Scholarship, a scholarship that we created for Manalapan High School graduating seniors who share Shelby’s love for music and theater and her dedication to the high school music department.

In order to guarantee the continued success of the scholarship, we have set up a GoFund me page to raise sufficient funds to ensure that the scholarship can be awarded in perpetuity. Knowing that even after we are gone, a student can ask the question, “Who was Shelby Reinish” and be inspired by her life to advance their education journey will mean the world to us.

For those of you who would prefer to make donations the old fashioned way, here is the contact information at the high school.

Checks may be made payable to

FRHSD Scholarship Fund (In memo section, please write Shelby Brooke Reinish Memorial Music Scholarship)

Freehold Regional High School District

11 Pine Street

Englishtown, NJ 07726

Attention: Sheryl Voter

We thank you in advance for your support of this scholarship that means so much to our family.