Jan. 30--HARTFORD -- Early in the school year, Shantay Drake was a shy little girl with a speech delay, said her teacher, Staci Chenail.
In the past five months, the 4-year-old grew into a happy pre-schooler who not only talked to other students but hugged them, Chenail said.
On Wednesday, Shantay's class had a group hug without her. The gap-toothed girl with a big smile died in a fire at her Bedford Street home early Tuesday.
Her classmates at Jumoke Academy at Milner School have been talking through their grief, Chenail said Wednesday, saying things like, "She's an angel now."
Students from throughout the school wrote messages of love to Shantay and her family on a large swath of paper in the hallway outside the school office. The paper was full by the end of school Wednesday.
Parents and teachers started a fund for her family at Bank of America, said Principal Karen Lott; proceeds from a middle school dance and bake sale Friday night will go to the fund.
The school community also will honor Shantay's memory at a candlelight vigil near the Milner playground at 6 p.m. Thursday.
"The passing of a loved one in our school community is always heartbreaking," schools Superintendent Christina M. Kishimoto said in a press release. "It is particularly painful when the subject of our grief is a four-year-old pre-kindergarten child, who had managed to win the affection of her entire school community."
When firefighters arrived at the family's home early on Tuesday morning, flames were coming out of windows on both sides of the three-family house at 62-64 Bedford St. Firefighters rescued Shantay's mother, Susan Therrien, 43, and sister Kayla Drake, 6, but weren't able to get to Shantay.
She died of smoke inhalation, Fire Capt. James McLoughlin said Wednesday. The investigation of what caused the fire is still underway, McLoughlin said.
Therrien suffered burns to her face, right arm and upper back and was in critical condition in Bridgeport Hospital's burn unit.
Kayla was with a family member after being treated at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center.
Kayla, a first-grader at Milner, was close with her sister, Chenail said. "They were inseparable," she said. "They would pass in the hallway and give each other a hug."
But Shantay wasn't always so sociable, the teacher said. When she first started pre-school, she "was very quiet and had a little bit of a speech problem," she said. Over time, she said, "she just came out of her little shell. She had an infectious smile."
She liked to play in her classroom's pretend kitchen and "she liked to listen to stories," she said.
"She was a hugger," Chenail said. "She was very happy. She loved to come to school."
And when she gave teachers her huge smile, she said, "You could just pick her up and hug her."
This isn't the first time the Milner community was compelled to help the family.
Therrien has stage 4 lung cancer and has been on oxygen, Chenail said. She was finding it difficult to get the girls to school, so Chenail -- who passes the home on her way to and from work -- offered to pick them up and drive them home. She even had the girls sleep over a few times at her home in the suburbs, she said.
Teachers also took up collections for gifts at Christmas and for a turkey for Thanksgiving, she said.
Those who live in the Bedford Street neighborhood also are reaching out to the family. A vigil outside the house is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, said The Rev. Henry Brown, a community activist who visited the brick building Wednesday morning.
Flames left a trail of soot over some windows, and on Wednesday fresh plywood covered other windows. A city worker posted a warning on the front door that the house is not to be entered.
Neighbor Maria Trinidad put a candle on a front step of the building and lit it. She later returned with a Mylar balloon and tied it to the candle.
"She was a happy kid," she said of Shantay. "She hugged everybody."
"She was awesome," said Angel Falcon, another neighbor who used to walk to school with his son and Shantay. "She always said 'Hi' every morning."
Iesha Hicks and her friend, Laniecia White, who live up the street, left a pink teddy bear and a candle on the steps. Like Therrien, both woman have young daughters -- Hicks' is 4 and White's is 3.
"It hits you so hard," Hicks said.
Falcon joined them, and the three got down on their knees and prayed. Falcon walked away, and the other women hugged each other and cried.
Courant Staff Writer Kelly Glista contributed to this story.
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