Austin Tyler Shawver spread his wings and departed this life on Friday, November 12, 2021. He was 18 years old.

He was born to parents Roy and Jennifer Shawver Jr. on March 27, 2003 in Knoxville Tennessee. There he spent most of his life lounging on beautiful Norris Lake, riding four wheelers and dirt bikes, camping, fishing, hiking, sporting activities and gathering with family and friends.

Austin's biggest passion was baseball. You could always find him on a ball field whether he was watching the game, playing in it, or practicing. He shined as an All Star champion pitcher and 1st baseman for five years with the Union County Little League.

His love for growth and adventure showed throughout his many accomplishments. Austin's fearless and spontaneous outlook was only a small piece of him that those near him got to see. He was the most phenomenal, carefree and most loving son a parent could ask for. He was an only son full of compassion. Austin was an amazing, loving, and protective brother to all his sisters. A miraculous entity blazing a mark so charismatically etched with everyone he met.

Austin's precious heart, amazing personality and loyalty towards others was far too grand. His smile and laugh would captivate anyone whether you were eight or eighty. He would make the gray sky blue. Austin made friends with such ease and a terrific listener to those who needed to be heard. To many, he was their padlock with dreams and secrets kept safe. His soul was filled with such compassion without judgement and pure love. Austin will be talked about, bragged upon and deeply missed for lifetimes to come.

He partook in 4H and excelled in culinary while earning his high school diploma. Austin graduated ahead of his classmates from Hurricane High School at sixteen years old. Receiving many outstanding achievement awards, National Honors Society membership, A honor roll and several student of the month. He then continued to pursue his education and career training with the WV Job Corp in Charleston WV.

Despite the sense of accomplishments and pride expressed, strong dark presumptions began to inhabit his soul. The flame inside him was dimming. Determined to show no weakness, without support he slowly started building a wall. He would never ask anyone for help and as time went on he became consumed with a dark inner hell.

Austin was determined to be independent and he pushed farther, only now there is a smiling face mask that he wore so not a soul could see. Sometimes he found comfort and peace in many forms temporarily but couldn't fully extradite the inner chaos he kept so precisely hidden. That temperament was his blessing and his curse. The smiley face mask he once wore naturally as skin no longer covered the resounding pain and darkness.

Then the hell inside him consumed his joys . No one knew about the demons within him. Austin had become so private, no one heard or saw the insurmountable and consuming hell inside him. Austin wanted to die and needed it to stop. He then told his friends and other housemates he was going to kill himself and walked down the road resulting in him choosing to end his own life, in his way.

A gift from God so loved and cherished died utterly alone just after 10 p.m. because people chose to ignore and do nothing. All the times he listened when no one else would, cared enough to check up on, when our son Austin needed a friend, a shoulder, a hug, a simple word stop from the people he trusted, lived with, thought were his friends. They heard what he said, watched him leave and did nothing. No one said "no, lets talk " like he had done for them. No one called 911, his parents or made any attempt.

Everyone somewhere throughout their life will feel consumed and burdened in which they think all is better without them around. God gave us free will. The ability to choose. We are faced with choices, incomprehensible to those who have not experienced it, to die by suicide or to survive. Whether you live or die then becomes a question of whether or not someone or something intervened, or if you were strong enough to change your course before the end. Perhaps, next, the deeply hidden demon within chooses you. Are you strong enough because there may not be anyone near or care to intervene like Austin.

There is always someone who wants and will listen, someone giving a damn. Family that loves you, long distance but loyal friends, neighbors, or even strangers. You are not alone, you are loved, you are important. You are wanted! 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, National Suicide Prevention 1-800-273-8255

He is preceded in death by grandparents, Constance Waddle, Roy and Judith Shawver; great-grandparents, Mary and James Hensley, Lesie and Faye Holstein, Elmer Callaway and Rosie Marie Shawver; "Aunt" Debbie; cousins, Robbie Bowman Jr., Arthur Fraley, Pawpaw Ray, Uncle Robby; and many more.

Austin leaves behind his parents, Roy and Jennifer Shawver Jr.; three sisters, Abigail, Paige and Nevaeh; grandmother, Tessa Shawver; step-grandfather Sammie Waddle of Dunbar.; uncles, Bobby Wiley of Mud Fork and Joshua Waddle of North Charleston; aunt, Lisa Williams of Dunbar, "aunt" Mandy Keck of Tennessee, and "aunt" Ashley Ward of Washington; cousins, Misty Lynn, Dakota, Shyian, Landon, Alexandria, Jakob, Uriah, Benjamin, Cody, Scottie, Tiffany, Sara; and many other extended family.

No services have been scheduled at this time.

Donations are welcomed and should be made to Keller Funeral Home to help with the funeral expenses.

Arrangements are in the care of Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar.