Shaquille O’Neal often strolls through retail stores and buys things for random people. The self-described people’s person loves to make life easier for people with limited resources. He recently uploaded a video of such generosity towards a kid on his official YouTube channel. This clip is from 2022 when Shaq came across an upset kid whose father refused to buy him a pair of sneakers.
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The child informed O’Neal that his father only promised to buy him a coat but he insisted that his dad also bought him a pair of sneakers. Upon listening to the kid’s ordeal, the big fella decided to help him and urged him to pay heed to his father’s words.
He also prompted the child to hug his parent and ask for forgiveness. Then, the NBA legend with the big heart proceeded to gift him two pairs of shoes, and a coat while also buying socks for the kid’s parent.
When it comes to Shaq, actions like these are the norm rather than exceptions. In 2023, he financially aided a 13-year-old who couldn’t buy size 22 shoes because of hefty prices.
As someone who had financial struggles around that age and couldn’t buy sneakers of his size, the NBA legend could relate to the teenager. The multi-millionaire hasn’t forgotten his roots and loves to spray kindness wherever he goes.
Shaquille O’Neal knows the value of money well
What separates O’Neal from most celebrities is his openness in interacting with people who are way less affluent than him. He is an accessible superstar and loves to spend time among the working class which helps him understand the harsh ground realities of most people.
The 7’2” NBA personality also acknowledges that those who live paycheck to paycheck are the pillars of the economy. After helping a homeless person buy some sandwiches, O’Neal explained why he wanted to help people in any way possible, as per Basketball Network,
“I come from a place where I had nothing and just because I have more than the average guy, doesn’t mean I’m better than the average guy. There are people out here working their asses off, working way harder than me who live shift by shift. Those are the people running the country. I’m just a guy that’s very lucky.”
No doubt, celebrities and multi-millionaires of Shaq’s stature are rare in society. His humble attitude towards regular working people comes from not being born into wealth and learning the rigors of poverty early in his life. This is why he knows that even a small action of his can create a huge impact on a family that is micromanaging their budget.
