The tragic news regarding Shelby Daniele, a former California Polytechnic State University track star who passed away on September 25, was shared by a family friend via Facebook. Brian Brandenburg, who identifies himself as the father of one of Daniele’s friends, revealed that the 23-year-old died from a brain aneurysm in his post.
“It is completely heartbreaking to announce that Shelby Daniele, the young lady who inspired Eva to pursue track at Cal Poly, passed away last night from a brain aneurysm,” Brandenburg expressed.
The Cal Poly track team honors record-breaking athlete Shelby Daniele on Instagram
The Cal Poly track team paid tribute to Daniele on Instagram on Thursday, September 26, stating that the record-breaking athlete was an “amazing person” and embodied “everything you want an athlete to be.”
As reported by the Fresno Bee, hundreds gathered on Friday, September 27, at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Fresno, California, for a memorial service celebrating Daniele’s life.
This location holds importance as it was where she first showcased her athletic talents while competing for the Buchanan High School track and field team. A speaker at Daniele’s memorial remarked, “She made an impact on everybody’s lives” and described her as “one in a million,” according to the publication.
Daniele’s obituary highlighted her warmth and kindness towards others. “She dedicated herself to everyone she encountered and every endeavor she pursued. Those fortunate enough to know Shelby only had good things to share about her.
She was genuinely the light in everyone’s life, embodying a fiery, spunky, beautiful, intelligent, and strong spirit that will be profoundly missed,” the obituary stated.
Regarded as an “exceptional student-athlete,” Daniele contributed her talents to the program for five years, achieving numerous accolades. Her accomplishments include being a “six-time All-Big West honoree,” a “two-time Big West champion,” a school record holder, and a team captain.
According to the Cal Poly website, she set the school record for the indoor 200 meters (24.69 seconds), ranked No. 2 in the all-time women’s indoor 60 meters (7.62 seconds), tied for No. 2 in the women’s 100 meters (11.58 seconds), and held the No. 3 all-time spot in the women’s outdoor 200 meters (23.57 seconds).
“But more importantly, she was an incredible teammate and leader,” stated the program’s Instagram announcement, accompanied by photos capturing her in action over the years. “Shelby cared deeply for those around her, possessed a remarkable heart, and served as a role model for countless individuals.
She was truly one of a kind and will be dearly missed by everyone in the Cal Poly community. Our heartfelt condolences go out to her family and friends 💚💛.” Daniele’s funeral service is scheduled for October 14 in Clovis, California.
