"I feel great," Shimogayto said at the time. "I feel blessed. I know God is with me and is looking down on me. Sometimes, I wonder why this all happened to me, but I guess things happen for a reason."
She was a bubbly and energetic senior at North Bergen High School who was eager to get on with her plans of becoming a school psychologist.
The town of North Bergen embraced her, holding a charity softball game last summer that raised more than $10,000 - money that helped Shimogayto and her family go to Sea World in Orlando last August.
However, the teenager's dreams came to a tragic end last week when Shimogayto lost her battle with cancer. She had not yet reached her 20th birthday.
Shimogayto's passing sent shockwaves through the town.
"She showed so much courage and was so alive," North Bergen High School Principal Paschal "Pat" Tennaro said. "She inspired all of our kids. It's devastating to us. She fought for life and was such a great kid. It's so sad."
North Bergen Detective Henry Marrero, who is assigned to North Bergen High School, worked with the school's guidance counselors to organize the charity softball game last summer. He had a special and close relationship with Shimogayto.
"It was horrendous news," Marrero said. "I grew very tight with her and spoke with her often. She was never down and out. She was telling me how she was going to go to college. She always put a smile to everyone's face and she was very strong. She was just an amazing person and that's hard to duplicate. Organizing that softball game was one of the best days of my life, because we were able to give her something while she was still with us. She was just a wonderful kid and I'm so saddened by this."
Diagnosis
When first interviewed about her ordeal, Shimogayto spoke of how it started so innocently with simple leg pain in the fall of 2005.
"My leg was hurting a lot," Shimogayto said last May. "I went for x-rays, but nothing came out of them. I then got a little lump on my leg and I was getting massages to treat that. I was also putting Icy Hot on my leg, but nothing would happen."
One fateful day, Shimogayto fell in school and broke the femur in her right leg. In treating the broken leg, doctors found that Shimogayto had cancer.
"It was October 7," Shimogayto said. "I'll always remember the day. When I found out, I was crying. I couldn't move my leg and it hurt a lot. When I found out it was cancer, I didn't know what to think, but I kept the faith."
After several surgeries to try to prevent amputation, the inevitable took place. In April of 2006, the cancer had spread so much that Shimogayto had to lose her right leg.
"Sometimes, I do think like I can't believe this happened," Shimogayto said. "I liked to run. I would love to run again. But I'm walking now with my crutches a little and soon I'll get a prosthetic leg. There are ways to get around."
The faculty at North Bergen High School did their best to include Shimogayto in every school activity, even when she was too ill to attend classes.
Donna Bartolomei is an English teacher who went to tutor Shimogayto at home on a regular basis and they became close.
"She was very joyful and very happy no matter what was going on," Bartolomei said. "I don't think there was a day when there were any negative words. She was real special. She was my student for two and a half years and it didn't matter where she was, I was going to tutor her. I just loved the way she looked at life."
Bartolomei said that she wanted to be part of all the senior-related activities last year.
"She did the prom and went to Project Graduation," Bartolomei said. "She never complained about anything except homework."
Cheryl Vandermark is one of those guidance counselors who assisted Shimogayto.
"We tried all year long to make sure that Shantall was a part of everything we did," Vandermark said. "She wasn't able to go to school all the time, but when she was here, she attended pep rallies and other activities, just to make her feel like she was part of the class. I've known Shantall for four years and she's always been such a great kid."
Attended the prom
Tennaro said that he will always recall guys taking turns to spin Shimogayto around on the dance floor in her wheelchair at the senior prom.
"There must have been about 1,000 people out there on the floor, and not a dry eye was in the house," Tennaro said.
Doctors believed that they had Shimogayto's cancer under control, but she had further surgery last April to remove a tumor from her lung. Two weeks later, she attended her prom.
"She chose to live her life and never lost faith in God," Bartolomei said. "She really was a rare gift. She made everyone around her happy. I always wondered how I deserved to have such a gift in my life."
Shimogayto was ready to attend Bergen County Community College and take classes to become a child psychologist.
"God is my strength, but everyone else around me has made me strong," Shimogayto said last May. "I'm going to fight it. I already have. I really feel blessed that I have all these people who care for me."
A mother's wish
Shimogayto was the product of a Peruvian mother and Japanese father who has since passed away. Rina Benevides is her mom. A few days after her daughter's funeral service, she graciously answered questions about her daughter through an interpreter, Mary Bartolomei, the daughter of Shimogayto's teacher.
"I'm always going to remember her bravery, her courage, her strength, her faith, joy and a love of life," Benevides said. "She was like an angel who came to this world to leave a message of love, peace and tenderness. She had such a bright smile and truly had the gift of bringing out the best of everybody who came in her path."
Benevides was asked if she drew strength from watching Shimogayto battle cancer.
"It gave me an unlimited amount of strength," Benevides said. "But first and foremost, the Lord gave me the strength to continue on each day. My family, friends, and church also provided me with unconditional support. I also understand that all of this is part of the purpose that the Lord gave to Shantall."
Benevides wanted to thank the people of North Bergen and the high school for their love and support.
"I received so many forms of unconditional support," Benevides said. "There was always someone available to provide us with emotional, financial or spiritual support. I received so much strength through all of these different people. In short, I never felt as if I was alone. I am very grateful for everyone who was there at all times or in specific moments."
Benevides said that she had mixed emotions about her daughter's pain and suffering finally coming to an end.
"Yes, I feel relieved," Benevides said. "But I will never be able to feel a complete sense of relief. What I have lost is absolutely irreplaceable. No one can replace my daughter or even come close to her. But I know now that her physical pain is no longer. I also know that she is definitely in a better place. Shortly after my Shantall passed on, three people have told me that they have dreamed about her. The common theme throughout all their dreams was her mentioning that she was very happy and that she was in a beautiful and large place."
Benevides said that she was so proud to have Shantall as a daughter.
"Absolutely, it was a privilege and blessing to call her my daughter," Benevides said. "She was my sense of pride. She has left an amazing legacy behind. And she was not a blessing just to me, but to father and her all family. I do not want her life to be forgotten. I wish for her memory to continue on and on forever."
Jim Hague can be reached via e-mail at either OGSMAR@aol.com or jhague@hudsonreporter.com
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