Plum mayoral candidate Shawn Marcellino dies after collapsing at a softball game
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Plum resident Shawn Marcellino was a selfless, caring man and a calming voice in times of trouble.
That is how fellow Plum alum and school board president Mike Devine described his best friend of nearly 30 years.
“He was the best guy,” Devine said. “He would literally do anything for anyone. From the time I went away to college until now, I moved 25 times between dorm rooms and apartments and houses. He was there every single time to help me move. He was the godfather to all three of my kids. He didn’t care what the reason was. He was there.”
Marcellino was playing catcher while Devine was the pitcher the evening of June 1 for a church league softball game.
Their team represented Living Word of Plum. It was a home game at a field off Elicker Road.
Devine said Marcellino was having chest pains in the second inning and went to sit down. He collapsed a short time later and people came rushing to his aid.
“Our team was in the field still, so the other team ran toward home plate and everybody tried to do what they could to help,” said Living Word co-captain Jimmy McBride.
He was taken to Forbes Hospital where he died, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office reported. A senior level manager at Highmark, Marcellino was 40.
Plum EMS Director of Operations Brian Maloney said crews were dispatched at 6:28 p.m. to the 200 block of Elicker Road for a medical condition involving a patient who was unresponsive.
Maloney confirmed his team made the transport, but could not get into further details due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family.
Marcellino grew up in Holiday Park and graduated from Plum in 1999. He earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice and then attended Point Park University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business.
He was not married and did not have children, but treated his nieces and friends’ children as if they were his own.
“Blood doesn’t make you a brother because there are people out there who have a blood relative and they treat them like garbage,” Devine said. “The way he acted. The way he treated (people). He was always there. That’s what made him a brother.”
Marcellino loved sports. He played volleyball and kickball in various recreational leagues as well as turkey bowls every November for years.
Marcellino and McBride formed Living Word’s team together this year after several seasons of competing against each other.
“Shawn made friends with everyone,” McBride said. “No matter where he was, he was like everybody’s best friend. That’s the best way to describe him. He’d do anything for you. … His laugh made everybody laugh. It was so infectious. He was always such a good guy to be around.”
McBride said they would connect just about every day to chat about life or play board games.
“I’m going to miss him,” McBride said. “Just enjoy all the times we had and remember him forever.”
The team will have some type of tribute at a future game.
Marcellino’s family released a statement on June 2:
“Shawn’s family and friends are deeply saddened by his sudden and tragic death. He had aspirations of becoming the next mayor of Plum, the place he grew up and still called home. He knew it was going to be a tough fight but was very optimistic and had a great team behind him.
“What started off as any other softball game, quickly took a bad turn. Briefly complaining of chest pains, he sat down to let the feeling pass. Once it was realized he had collapsed, both teams sprinted to try to help him. Going in and out of consciousness until the ambulance arrived, there was nothing more anyone could have done. He had a ruptured aorta. Shawn died doing what he loved, and his last at bat was recorded as a hit.
“We are all truly grateful for everyone who has reached out. Arrangements will be finalized in the coming days.”
Marcellino was a Plum Democratic mayoral candidate and set to challenge Republican Harry Schlegel in November.
The incumbent said he was shocked to hear the news of Marcellino’s death.
“I was in shock that something like that would happen,” Schlegel said. “He was 40 years old. I thought he was younger than that, but he was 40 years old and took a heart attack playing softball.”
Schlegel said he knows Plum EMS did everything they could to save the man’s life, noting a success story of a woman who survived a cardiac arrest earlier this year.
“Unfortunately, Shawn didn’t make it,” the mayor said. “My thoughts and prayers go to the family, my condolences. The way that life is, parents die before their children, not the reverse. This has got to be devastating to them.
“The guy wanted to get involved and stepped up. I wish he would have ran for council or school board, but he chose to run for mayor. That was his right and I give him all the respect and credit in the world for putting his name on the ballot and doing what he needed to do to go for it. I was looking forward to learning more about him during the campaign, but that’s not going to happen now. That’s a shame. It’s not the way of the world.”
Marcellino had responded to a questionnaire from the Tribune-Review that was sent to local candidates in numerous races about why they wanted to run for office among other subjects.
“As Plum is becoming a more diverse community, I want to make sure that the community has someone that is willing to represent and support all Plum residents by working with residents and community groups to bring people together for a common cause,” Marcellino wrote. “I’m also a strong supporter of small businesses. I’d like to see more business growth in Plum so that residents don’t have to always go to our surrounding communities for goods and services. I don’t feel that the current local government has done a very good job in attracting new businesses to Plum and I want to work to change that.”