(AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
He may be 7 foot 1 inch tall and wear a 23 size shoe, but the biggest part of basketball great Shaquille O'Neal is his heart.
According to CNN,Shaquille O'Neal paid for the funeral of 5-year-old Shaniya Davis, whose body was found last week, O'Neal's team confirmed Thursday.
O'Neal said in a statement released by his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, that he was touched after seeing Davis' story on CNN sister network HLN's "Nancy Grace" show. "What happened to her was tragic. I wanted her to have a funeral that would be as beautiful as she was," O'Neal said in the statement.
The murder of Shaniya Davis has literally touched a nation. Over 2000 people showed up at her funeral to show their love and support to her and her family. Many others have shed tears for her loss at candlelight vigils and in the privacy of their own homes.
A nation has mourned the loss of Shaniya Davis and expressed outrage as the news reports have painted a heartbreaking picture of what this beautiful child suffered through.
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(AP Photo/National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
Shaniya was reported missing from her home located at 1116-A Sleepy Hollow Drive, Tuesday, November 10 at around 6:53 a.m.
Shaniya's body was found November 16, around 1 p.m. in a wooded area Near Highway 87 in Lee County, 6 miles from Sanford and not far from the Comfort Inn hotel where she was last seen alive by a witness.
Surveillance video from the hotel shows Shaniya being carried by Mario Andrette McNeill through the hotel, and into a room, on the morning of her disappearance. The video is time stamped 6:11 a.m.
Police believe that Shaniya was still alive at about 7:30a.m., when she left the hotel.
Mario Andrette McNeill has been charged with Kidnapping, First Degree Murder, and First Degree Rape of Shaniya Davis.
It is unknown if Shaniya's mother, Antoinette Davis will also face additional charges in her daughter's death. Davis has been charged with, Human Trafficking, Felony Child Abuse – Prostitution, Filing a False Police. Report, and Resist, Delay, or Obstruct.
The investigation into the events surrounding Shaniya Davis’ death is still ongoing.
Hero for all occasions
Reaching out to help others is not a new thing for Shaquille O’Neal it is something he has done since he was a Rookie in the NBA.
(AP Photo/The Plaindealer, Lynn Ischay)
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Shaquille O’Neal is also known by children everywhere as Shaq-A-Claus because of his kindness and generosity to Toys for Tots, just one, among many, other charities this awesome man donates his time and money to.
This year’s Toys for Tots official spokesman, Shaquille O’Neal, spent November 22, spending thousands of his own money at a Mayfield Heights, Toys "R" Us store to help the Marines ensure that needy children have a Christmas.
Not only did he give a $1000.00 dollar cash donation, Shaq, decked out in his Santa hat, personally shopped the aisles of Toys “R” Us and handpicked toys he thought the children would enjoy.
After his bighearted shopping trip he was tirelessly off to the Broadway Boys and Girl Club in Cleveland for "Shaqs-giving." Where according to the Cleveland.com blog, he pulled into the Broadway Boys & Girls Club lot, and parked next to a huge truck from Feed The Children, which he had paid $7,200 to distribute boxes of food and toiletries.
Whether you are a basketball fan or not, I hope the love that this gentle giant is showing to our nations children touches your hearts.
Shaquille O’Neal is living proof that there really is a Santa Claus and what he did for Shaniya Davis and her family is an act of kindness that one rarely sees in this world today.
Shaq’s take on his charitable events, “I'm just being nice," he shrugged.
Comments
I now believe in the miracle of Christmas. Awesome! Brings a tear to my eyes.
The generosity of this man is an awesome testament to the human spirit. What an amazing man for doing this for Shaniya. I actually cried when I read this story. I'm touched and heart-broken at the same time. This beautiful little girl is not going to have another Christmas, birthday, Easter or go to her prom. I hope that the man who did this fries and I hope that b**** of a mother fries right along with him.
Oh, and let's don't leave out the N.C. Department of Social Services for failing to protect Shaniya from these monsters. Make them be held accountable as well.
we need to protect our children better it's so sad that mothers and fathers are killing children their own and so many others are killing them who do they turn to jesus I pray that you put a stop to this maddness now lord in your name I ask you for nothing else lord please
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