Tattooed on Zion Neat's right arm is the phrase, "Let your light SHINE." "SHINE" is capitalized and in purple, with the bottom of the "S" looping back towards the middle of the letter. The "y" in "your" and the "g" in "light" also have distinctive curves. A couple of letters are slightly crooked. That's because it's in the handwriting of Neat's mother, Wendy, who passed away on August 23, 2014. The Goshen College women's basketball star has been battle-tested in many ways throughout her life, but she has kept her faith and relationship with God at the forefront throughout. Her trust in God makes perfect sense when you hear her talk about her mother.
The Epitome of the Christian Woman
Wendy Neat was up every morning at 6:00 am with her coffee, a devotional, and listening to worship music. Zion recalls how she loved people exactly as they were and always went out of her way to make other people feel seen.
"Every Mother's Day, she sent hundreds of texts to people, whether they were currently mothers or maybe they had a miscarriage," said Neat. "She would still text those people and make them feel seen that day." Doing good came to be expected of Wendy Neat - if a neighbor needed help, she was there. And as a personal trainer, she helped people with their fitness goals.
The family moved 14 times before Zion turned eight since her father hired for new branches of a jeweler. Eventually, the Neats settled in Texas, where Wendy opened a coffee shop. Zion worked there starting at age ten. Even throughout all the moves, the family still had some control of their situation. But soon, there would be a moment they were unable to govern.