MODEL SPOTLIGHT: SHANEL DEMUS
Larger than Life Big & Tall Model and Mentor With a Heart to Match finds Solace in the Big and Tall Community by partnering with brands like Johnny Bigg.
Photographer: Philip Drew @photosbypdrew
Shanel Demus is a Trauma Intensive Care Registered Nurse for one of the best hospitals in South Florida, located in Miami.
Shanel had always dreamed of becoming a nurse, but life happened, and her dreams had to be put on hold. She joined law enforcement early and became a Police Dispatcher. Although she’d felt like she was fulfilling her duty to her community, it was not enough for her. There was an emptiness or void that needed to be filled.
Through prayer and fasting, she asked God what for direction on how she could better serve Him; she immediately knew that the answer was nursing. This is what she knew she was called to do.
As life would have it, she was already in her 30's, going through a divorce and had a child to raise. But she just knew that once her prayers were answered that she had to follow her insistence. Of course it wasn’t easy at all. During the nursing cohort, her divorce became final so she was officially a single parent working two jobs as a police dispatch and certified nursing assistant. But with the grace of God, all was managed.
Shanel says that she had an excellent support system and could not have done it alone. With her mom being supportive, her former supervisors and coworkers that helped with scheduling her work and school, even her ex-husband, that genuinely wanted her to succeed and took a lot of the responsibilities of raising their son, so she didn't have a worry; she was able to fulfill that void.
When Shanel graduated in June of 2021, she was told that she couldn't or shouldn't start in the Intensive Care Unit, that she would need more experience to even be granted access to such a stressful job. So again, she prayed because she just knew in her heart that Intensive Care is where she wanted to be. But she never imagined that Trauma was in God's plan. For her, the word, "Trauma," alone was intimidating. However, with all the support that she’s received from Day One of her journey, she didn't question it. Because Shanel persevered and was obedient to her calling, she applied and got accepted to one of the toughest Nursing ICU Residents Program.
“I'm blessed. I succeeded. I'm happy. I love what I do and how I serve and support my company. I am a firm believer that God answers all prayers, but you do have to put in the work. I'm a true living testimony. You can do all thing possible, through Christ.”
QSM: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview. Being a mom and a nurse are two rewarding jobs. Tell me about life growing up for you.
Shanel: I can say I was blessed by the woman who raised me. My mother. She is the strongest woman I know. Strong, but maintained her femininity, her grace, her elegance. I thrived to be like her. My mom raised my two brothers and myself all on her own. I still don’t know how she did it, but she raised me to be ambitious and to be intelligent, book smart and common sense. My mom is everything. I learned from the best to maintain a household, a dream and a promise.
QSM: Let’s talk about life as an RN during the pandemic. Can I first ask, have you gotten COVID yet?
Shanel: Being the eyes of the pandemic has left scars. Mind you, I was a nursing student in the very beginning of COVID. To graduate and enter a world of the COVID pandemic was terrifying. I was scared for my family, my loved ones, and my son. But this is what I signed up for, I knew I could make a world of difference, even if it is to one person. Yes, I have gotten COVID once and yes, I got COVID from work in December 2021. Just a couple days before Christmas. So on Christmas Day, which is my birthday, I had to spend it alone to quarantine. Thank God, I did not pass it on to anyone.
QSM: What was that balance like for you, working with COVID patients and then coming home to take care of your child?
Shanel: My son and I had a one-on-one about his mother going into the world of COVID and why I was doing this. Although he was young, he was very mature and understanding on why I was working in the hospital during COVID. In the hospital I would, they offered hospital scrubs to change into, so I changed every shift. At the end of shift, my home would be empty from working the night shift, because my son would be in school. If it was the weekend, I had to educate my son that he could no longer greet me at the door, because I was “contaminated.” I never wear my work shoes inside my home, they stay in the trunk of my car. Maybe this is TMI, but I would strip my clothing at the front door and head straight in the shower. After a shower and getting dressed, I would wipe and sanitize almost every surface of my home. Luckily my family and my son have never caught COVID.
QSM: What blessing you are! What inspired you to become a nurse?
Shanel: I have always had a passion to help people. I knew since I was a child that I wanted to be a nurse. But life got in the way and my dreams were put on hold, I have many excuses not to go back to school. At one point, I thought I wasn't smart enough. I went through a “moment” in my life that I just had to make a change. I prayed and I fasted and just like that, I had my answer, Nursing.
QSM: You could have fulfilled your duty to the community in any of the many Nursing divisions, but why Trauma? You even went a step further and entered the Intensive Care Unit? Can you share the reason behind your decision to do so?
Shanel: I just knew in my gut, in my soul, in my spirit, I had so much more to offer! Trauma ICU is fast paced, highly intensified, high-risk, but highly rewarding. Yes, being in ICU comes with a mountain of incredible responsibility, knowledge and confidence to carry out the level of care to someone that is critically ill and is put in life-threatening situations. To some, that may sound terrifying; to me, it sounds exciting. I have floated to other departments, such as PACU, Emergency Department, etc. Nothing beats the rush and satisfaction Trauma ICU brings for a 12-hour shift.
QSM: What would you say is the most rewarding part of your job?
Shanel: The most rewarding part of being an ICU nurse is seeing the work you have done for a patient and progressively get better. To see your patient get transferred out of ICU shows that your hard work and compassion to save any individual that comes through that door, you were part of their testimony.
As rewarding as that may be, there are cons to a highly stressful unit in the hospital. When you become a nurse, we are taught now to help, identify, and correct the issue. To understand the pathophysiology behind the illness to better treat the symptoms of the illness. That's what is taught in the many years of school. What is not taught is how to handle the reality that not all patients will make it, no matter what nursing skills or years you have on the job. Dealing with family members that feel hopeless, so to feel like they are doing something, they mistreat the nurses horribly. It can be a lot of pressure and stress on one's body and mental state.
QSM: Let’s talk modeling. When we met, we talked about you wanting to get into modeling. What is the story behind that?
Shanel: Rasheedah Williams found me on Instagram and we instantly clicked. I mean, we bonded within minutes! Her page inspired my childhood memory of wanting to model and rip the runway. But it was once a silly dream. Rasheedah asked me if I ever thought of modeling, and I told her absolutely yes. Before I knew it, I was in Washington DC doing for the first ever, real photoshop with QUEEN SIZE MAGAZINE! The whole experience is still so surreal. It was so much fun.
QSM: Would you ever give up nursing for modeling?
Shanel: That is a tough question. I would put nursing on hold for modeling, rather than give up completely. It may sound avaricious and overly ambitious, but I want to do both. I have seen influencers do both, entertainment and their career. If it is all possible, I will juggle both.
QSM: Can you tell us about your son? We love the kids
Shanel: My son is 15 years old, 6 '3 young man. He is smart, intelligent, kind and funny. He is in high school studying graph design and engineering. He is an introvert, a homebody, loves to play his video games and a dependable friend you can count on. I am one proud mother.
QSM: You are pretty young; you have seen and accomplished a lot. What’s next for you?
Shanel: Well, thank you for calling me young! LOL. I was always a woman with a master plan 5 years from now. I am in grad school to earn my Master’s in Nursing, studying to earn Certified Critical Registered Nurse and trying to see where modeling can take me. However during COVID, I have learned to allow fate to take over. To become spontaneous, to be adventurous, that it is okay to go off schedule. I don’t know what life has in store for me. But I am so ready!
QSM: Please let people know where they can follow your journey.
Shanel: You may reach me on my Instagram is @ShanellyBoo, Tik Tok @shanellyboorn and FaceBook is Shanel Demus.
all images shot by Philip Drew @photosbypdrew
