Shaquille O’Neal loves his family; he’s grown up in an environment that values family over everything. Sure, he may have had his moments of lapse (multiple, according to Shaunie O’Neal), but he tried to make amends.
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He’d lived his life away from his children as punishment, a life he didn’t particularly enjoy. He felt alone in his palatial Orlando mansion, a prisoner of his own making. Once he felt like he had done his penance, he reached out to his ex-wife and tried to make a connection with his kids.
Those connections have remained to this day. Shaq is a doting father who knows what his kids need. He has been known to give them gifts, and not just the monetary kind. Big Diesel looks to constantly set his kids up for success, be it in the basketball world or the real one.
Shareef O’Neal, The Ex-Lakers man’s eldest son almost did not make it to his latest birthday
In 2018, Shareef O’Neal, Shaq’s pride and joy, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. It needed immediate surgery and had everyone worried. He was only a teenager, and the father and son had a lot of plans ahead. Basketball will be played, and many memorable moments will be celebrated.
All of that was at stake, and right at the crescendo of tension, the big man made a bizarre announcement. “I said, bro, when you wake up, I’m going to be the first mother *** you see. Trust me.” That statement wasn’t the bizarre part; it was what he said after.
“If you don’t wake up, I’m coming right behind you because I am killing everybody.” They’re going to kill me because I’m going to be one of the most notorious serial killers. “And we’re going to be in heaven or hell together.” What and why did he choose those words? But that cracked the room up, lightening the mood, and, to his luck, the operation was a success.
Shaquille O’Neal now has many responsibilities as a father – he learned from his childhood a father figure is needed
Shaq grew up without a biological father figure. Though that was the case, his stepfather never let him feel that way. He made sure he raised a good boy with values and a drive. He passed on his army traditions, which he still follows to this day.
As with any father, he is softer with his daughters than his sons. A happy man now, every mistake he’s committed so far in his life has made him a better father, even if the jury is still out on whether he is a better person.
Big Diesel is an ever-present man who tries his hardest to keep his family safe and healthy. A wonderful father who will soon be proud because Shareef O’Neal is doing so well in the NBA.
