Cavaliers Big Man Has an Even Bigger Heart

Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal has sat out the last 6 games with a sore shoulder but make no mistake, he is doing anything but sitting. Last week Shaq played Santa Claus, or as he calls it “Shaq-A-Claus”, to the youth of northeast Ohio. He went to the Toys R Us in Mayfield and filled more than a dozen shopping carts with toys from all over the store. All of the toys bought by Shaq will be donated to the Toys for Tots organization. He has been doing this for about 15 years and credits his mother and father for getting him started with the organization.

“About 15 years ago, my mother and father ordered me to go to a Toys ‘R’ Us and buy toys and give them out to kids,” he said. “I got a call from my mother and she said, ‘Boy, get your butt up, go down to the store and buy some gifts for the kids.”

That’s not all Shaq has been up to though. Last week he paid for the funeral of 5 year old Shaniya Davis of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Her body was found on the side of the highway and her mother is charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. Mario McNeil is being charged with murder, rape and kidnapping. I think, in addition to the funeral, we lock those 2 sick fucks in a room with the Diesel and let him go to town on them.

I can’t tell you how happy it makes me as a fan to see one of our players step up and help out. When these guys go out of their way to put a smile on a childs face or lift a family that has fallen it restores my faith in humanity. On this Thanksgiving I am thankful there are still people in this world who know right from wrong, good from bad and have a moral compase that always points north. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Sources:
The News-Herald
The Fayetteville Observer
Cleveland.com

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