A resurfaced video in which Shirley Raines recounts a frightening episode of memory loss is drawing attention following her death at age 58. She is widely known as “Ms. Shirley” and is the founder of Los Angeles–based nonprofit Beauty 2 The Streetz.
Beauty 2 The Streetz announced Raines’ passing on Instagram on Wednesday, Jan. 28. No cause of death has been disclosed. Her death has sent waves of grief through Los Angeles’ Skid Row community and among millions of supporters who followed her humanitarian work on TikTok and Instagram.
Raines, a Long Beach mother of six and Compton native, rose to national prominence by transforming personal trauma into service. Through Beauty 2 The Streetz, she provided food, hygiene kits, clothing, hair styling, makeup makeovers, and consistent emotional support to unhoused individuals—often stressing dignity over charity.
“Just because they’re without a home doesn’t mean they’re without love,” she told People magazine in 2020, explaining why she offered beauty services alongside meals.
Working full-time in medical billing, Raines famously cooked meals for 400 to 600 people each week from her one-bedroom apartment, showing up to Skid Row every Saturday regardless of weather. She often spoke candidly about surviving traumatic relationships, nearly experiencing homelessness herself, and coping with the loss of a child.
“I’m a woman who actually lived this life in the streets, buried a child, went through traumatic relationships, was almost homeless myself,” Raines said in a past interview with ABC. “I’m still very much ghetto, but I survived that. I get it. I understand. But you’ve got to just get through it.”
In the resurfaced video—originally posted to her TikTok account @beauty2thestreetz—Raines emotionally described a disturbing incident in which she believed she may have been secretly drugged during a community outreach event. She told followers she suddenly felt extremely thirsty and weak before losing all memory of what followed.
“They said I continued to feed. I drove home. I woke up Tuesday… scared, bruising all on my arms as if somebody had grabbed me. My memory is completely erased,” she said, adding that doctors were unable to identify any substances because too much time had passed.
Raines explained that her daughter helped care for her as she slowly regained strength and clarity. At the time, she said she had not filed a police report but planned to be more vigilant, noting how shaken she was by the experience. The video sparked an outpouring of concern, prayers, and calls from supporters urging authorities to investigate.
Following news of her death, the video has taken on new significance for many who admired her work. Others feel that video may be proof that there is more to her sudden passing.
“Some research needs to be done and we want answers she was just live 2 days ago and its seems fishy.. she was loved and loved by many world wide she was looked up to she was needed by many.. some them people who don’t have phones are gonna be looking for her and not know why the help they were getting isnt there this is so sad she help thousands and thousands of people,” commented drea.ahbez on Instagram
@tony432972 also said:
“Not going to go into it too deep but I was homeless in LA for a bit about 7 years ago and I remember anytime I seen this lady I knew I was about to eat good. RIP her”
@queenaquilia also said:
“This has me so sad. My God. And whoever did that to her is probably close to her, perhaps they got around Ms. Shirley again and drugged her again … which led to her passing ultimately. Idk I’m just making a wild assumption but I really feel in my heart that’s what happened to her. She was fine and healthy prior to this!”
@jessmarie0917, however, said she could not make the lilnk between that old video and her passing”
“I remember when she posted this, but not sure if it’s relevant to what happened to her.”
Raines leaves behind a worthy legacy rooted in compassion, resilience, and an unwavering belief in the humanity of society’s most marginalized people.
Tributes continue to pour in across social media, with supporters vowing to carry forward the mission she began—one meal, one makeover, and one act of kindness at a time.
