Shaquille O’Neal was undoubtedly lucky in this life. Apart from generating a fortune during his NBA career, the basketball player made smart business decisions and investments. He still enjoys the benefits of his work today.
Shaq, 49, one of the richest athletes in the world, not only spends money on himself and his family but also makes sure to give to others. In fact, he has a reputation for being generous and has often gone viral for his good deeds.
Shaq has made it a goal to do at least one act of kindness every time he leaves the house, and it looks like the man has dutifully followed through on that goal.
One of Shaq’s latest acts of kindness featured an 11-member Texas family known as “The Collins Kids” on Instagram.
On Feb. 23, Karissa, the family matriarch, took to Instagram to describe how they became the recipients of Shaq’s acts of kindness.
The sports celebrity stunned the family with a surprise visit last month and treated them to dinner at Babe’s Chicken.
Karissa, 36, posted on Facebook and Instagram that “it was so much fun just hanging out with him and eating dinner with him.”
But Shaq didn’t want it to end with a simple meal. The next day he brought the family to a Mercedes-Benz store to buy them a brand new 15-passenger van!
According to Karissa, who is expecting her second child, “he didn’t even know we were outgrowing our 12-passenger van, and the air conditioning always worked the best, so it’s such an outrageous blessing.” “They didn’t have any in stock so we had to adjust and order a delivery that should be here in July.”
Mandrae Collins, a former member of the Harlem Globetrotters, is Karissa’s husband and a manager at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Fort Worth.
Shaq then brought them to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner; he did not realize that they were on a mission trip from abroad and that he had paid for the entire meal at another table.
The basketball legend then tipped their waitress a whopping $1,000 after finding out her car had broken down that day.
Mandrae, 38, was the owner of the truck, which for some time operated without heating or air conditioning. Shaq wasn’t aware of this, but after spotting the car, he decided to take the family to a Ford store where Dad could get a new truck!
In addition to extravagant gifts and lavish dinners, Shaq also had intangible gifts for his family.
He also took time to love us, encourage us, and speak life into our family, Karissa continued. “I have no idea what to say”
Karissa revealed the story of how Shaq met them in a January 12 post.
“A few months ago he reached out to me on Instagram and sent my kids a video about how much he loves watching them and calls him Uncle Shaq,” the author wrote.
Karissa agreed when Shaq said he wanted to visit them.
“Of course, we would adore him if we got to meet him and hang out with him. My kids LOVE seeing him in all his commercials and movies and I grew up watching him play baseball,” she added.
On Karissa’s birthday, Shaq happened to be in town, so the basketball great stopped by for a visit. She described the experience of a lifetime as “surreal”.
He played “Watch ya mouth” with the kids, showered them with love and encouragement, entertained them, posed with them, gave them gifts, praised us as parents, and showed us so much love, Karissa recalled.
Anthym and Anchor, Karissa’s two young children, are wary of strangers, she said. But the kids warmed to Shaq right away and wanted him to hold them.
We should all try to emulate Shaq’s efforts to give back to the community in our own small ways because they are so admirable!
In a world often filled with negativity and division, Shaq’s dedication to spreading kindness and positivity is a shining beacon of hope. His story reminds us all of the importance of using your success and resources to make a positive difference in the lives of others, no matter how big or small the gesture may be.
As we reflect on Shaq’s incredible acts of generosity, we are inspired to follow his example and strive to be a force for good in our own communities. In this way, we can create a brighter and more compassionate world, one act of kindness at a time. Shaquille O’Neal undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the hearts of those he helped, and his legacy of kindness will continue to inspire generations to come.