A big 'Hart:' Little pantry honors boy with big heart
Mar. 11—A food pantry in Vinemont pays tribute to a young man who stood up for the underdog, never liked to see another person go hungry and never sought recognition for the nice things he did for others.
"Chris was a good kid all around," said his mom, Melanie Hart Shaddix.
May marks two years since Christian Hart died in a boating accident on Smith Lake. The 12-year-old boy was well-liked by his peers and cared for those around him.
"He was always, always, always for the underdog," said Melanie. "He didn't like to see people left out."
Melanie and her husband Lynn always thought their son was amazing. He was a great athlete — baseball was his favorite but he also excelled at football and archery — a good friend to his peers, a son who prayed for his mom when she was in pain from an abscessed tooth, and a young man who loved the Lord.
After he died, his parents discovered there was even more to their son. Melanie said so many people told her of things Chris had done for them, quietly, without wanting any recognition.
"It was amazing all the unknown he things did for people," said Melanie. "He wanted to do things for people but he didn't want attention for it."
Chris bought pencils from a classmate who was selling them to buy snacks. He didn't need the pencils and could have just given the boy the money, but understood that his classmate's pride was also important.
"I loved that he didn't want that kid to feel like he owed him back," said Melanie. Chris took extra food with him to school to share and also raised money to buy snacks for other kids.
"Chris could not stand for anyone to go hungry," said Melanie. "He'd come home and say, 'Mom, there are so many kids that don't have snacks.' He just couldn't stand it. His heart was amazing."
So it's appropriate that the free little pantry next to the fire department in Vinemont pays homage to young man with a big heart for others.
Dedicated in December, the "Big 'Hart' Little Pantry," provides a place for people to share their bounty with others who need it.
There had been discussions about adding a food pantry somewhere in Vinemont, but the question of where remained undecided. Last year, said Melanie, "One of the ladies said, 'I want this done for Christian.'"
The fire department offered a place for the pantry and help installing it. "All of a sudden, God was there," said Melanie. "It just worked out to be a really good thing. The school and community knew about Chris and his big heart."
For Chris's parents, the pantry is a sign that their beloved son has not been forgotten. "We had such a good kid," said Melanie. "You want him remembered, but you don't want to hold them to your grief."
Their home was the social hub for Chris and his friends, and along with football and baseball games, his parents miss that, too. "I miss these kids, I miss being at the ballfields," said Melanie.
She and Lynn were at the football field last year, though, when Vinemont dedicated its season to Christian's memory. "They decided they were going to win the county championship in Christian's honor," she said.
On Oct. 20, which what would have been Chris's 14th birthday, Vinemont played Good Hope in the county tournament and won. The fences were lined with happy birthday signs for Christian, and when the team won, fans for both teams broke out into the "Happy Birthday" song for Chris.
"To be standing shoulder to shoulder, and all these kids singing happy birthday to your kid, it was amazing," said Melanie.
She hopes the food pantry is another way her big-hearted son will be remembered in a way that would be meaningful to him.
"Our community has a lot of wonderful people, but there are some hungry people. There are some hungry kids at that school," she said. "He would like this pantry."
