Shantel Jones McNeill Family Fund

On December 19, 2019 around 4:30 pm, something unimaginable happened to our baby sister, Shantel McNeill,  and our two nieces, Janiyah and Mookie. A faulty outlet in our nieces’ bedroom caught fire. My nieces were in the living room playing with their dog Rocco and my sister had just finished showering when she smelled something burning. She went room to room trying to figure out what the smell was. When she opened my nieces’ bedroom door the outlet fire spread, engulfing the room within a couple of seconds. They were able to grab the dog, and a couple of gifts from under the tree and run out of the apartment.

They lost everything except the two gifts, the clothes on their back and their phones. Thank God they are alright, and the girls were not in that room sleeping. It is so overwhelming to lose everything. Especially a week before Christmas. It has just made our family so sad. They will need a new apartment or rental house. They will need a deposit and 1st month’s rent. They will need clothes and shoes. They will need everything required to furnish an apartment.  In your mind’s eye, just imagine having nothing.

We just want to help them get back on their feet. Having been a military family, my brother-in-law is a veteran, they were used to moving around and not quite establishing roots, but they had been back in Fayetteville for the last several years trying to do just that. With your help I hope we can show them that community is nationwide. I know that people are compassionate and empathetic. I pray that you will help them by giving whatever you can as soon as possible. Everything that is donated will go towards the fund and getting them secured in a new place. I thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity.

For those that want to help outside of GoFundMe here are the details:

Niyah (11th grade) – Girls size 14 pants; Women’s small shirt; Size 5 shoes

Mookie (6th grade) - Girls size 16/ Women’s size 2 pants; W small shirt; Size 7 1/2 shoes


C/O Marion Jones

5986 Chambrian Dr.

Fayetteville, NC 28314