Shirley Baker, the one who stood tall and confident in support of OJ Simpson throughout the entirety of the courtroom drama, was a woman of substance. While October 1, 2017, marked the day when she was able to put her arms around Simpson for the first time in nine years, ‘The Juice’ hugged his eldest sister for the last time on March 12th this year. Hers was a life spent in providing community service and monetary assistance to many. As a church-going lady, she would often dedicate herself to providing the privilege of non-profit, private legal counseling.

However, in a shocking turn of events, Simpson’s eldest sister breathed her last after being rushed to a hospital. ‘The Juice’ recently took to Twitter to share news of the untimely demise. While OJ mourned, supporters came in numbers to offer their condolences too.

The unwavering support of Simpson’s sister

As it is well documented, OJ Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. While Simpson was eventually acquitted by the court, the man was the victim of a public prosecution that grabbed eyeballs from every direction. He also lost his home after he finished prison time.

During those dark days, standing right next to Simpson was his older sister, Shirley Baker. Baker acted as the pillar of strength for Simpson and his family, something that stemmed from her unwavering trust in her brother. She appeared in court every single day just to be there during her brother’s highly publicized trial.

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Following being declared innocent, Simpson was sentenced to prison for 33 years based on charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. His sister continued her visits and weekly phone calls came along as the only solace for OJ.

OJ Simpson-Shirley Baker: A bond to cherish

While paying homage to his sister, the Juice remembered the memories with his sibling and narrated stories for his fans. OJ said, “Yesterday was one of the toughest days of my life. It was hard for me to conceive that I could have a son who didn’t have a big sister like I had, my big sister Shirley.”

Simpson went on to recall him being picked on as a kid and his sister defending him, “You didn’t really want to have to deal with my sister. She was always fiercely protective and supportive, and over the years that didn’t change”

Simpson narrated the events that led up to Shirley Baker’s death. Baker had gone to Phoenix to celebrate her stepson’s birthday and see her great-grandchild, but she wasn’t feeling well that night. She was immediately taken to a hospital where she passed away peacefully in the presence of loved ones. Fans were quick to respond to OJ’s last letter to his sister. One of them commented, “My Deepest Condolences.”

This user couldn’t help but take a sad trip down memory lane with OJ. Upon having lost some of the most loved ones in her life, she took more than a moment to pen her honest experiences of grieving for someone. After all, grief shared is grief divided.

One user went on to marvel at the wisdom OJ shared.

While several others followed with prayers.

OJ Simpson is at that stage in his life, where his entire world revolves around family. Having lost one of the closest people to him is bound to hurt, but as many fans hope, Simpson will find the courage and the strength to bounce back and keep moving forward.

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