NBA
Shaquille O'Neal returned to action for the Cavaliers last night after missing six games with a strained left shoulder. In my eyes the bigger story surrounding Shaq took place off the court.
The media (myself included) is quick to publicize when an athlete does something wrong. Michael Vick's charity work since his release from prison has not gotten the same attention as the crimes he's committed. Why is that?
Regardless, Shaquille O'Neal did a wonderful thing recently and it deserves some attention and recognition.
A 5-year old girl named Shaniya Davis was sold into prostitution by her very own mother Antoinette Davis to settle a drug debt in Fayetteville, NC. The child was subsequently raped and murdered. Antoinette Davis reported the child missing and was later charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. The girl's body was found November 16th beside a rural road.
The man responsible for raping and murdering the child, Mario O'Neill is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping.
"I was sitting at home watching it on the news and the story brought a tear to my eye," Shaquille O'Neal told The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Shaq called the family of the victim and asked what he could do to help. O'Neal reportedly paid for the funeral of Shaniya Davis.
In the midst of a nightmare Shaq was able to slightly lighten the load for members of the Davis family. There is not much you can say to a person to make a situation this horrible better. But for Shaquille O'Neal to extend a hand to a family in mourning says a lot about the man that Shaq is.
For more info: Matt Loede, Cleveland Cavaliers Examiner
Comments
If you know of something about any kind of charity work that Michael Vick has done since his release from prison, I'd like to know what that is. I do know about his impromptu speech about the evils of dogfighting to a private school in August(?). Is that it?
I do not know Mr. Vick. I do know that he owes nothing to any of you who are trying to tell him what to do with his life. You tried to ruin him and now you still want to be in his life yanking him around. Why don't you jail the people who take a ten year old cocker spaniel to the dog pound saying they have no room for her; but it is really because she will not live much longer. I took that animal and gave her a great life for the two years she had left. What about the one with the ear infection that never goes away?He was given away four times in three years and was so afraid of being given away again he cried when we were out of his sight? I took him and he is happy and still a bit afraid after five years because of human nonsense. There is all kind of ways to kill an animal, try helping those who are living and stuck in the pound.
I would ask how many dogs do you have and what have you done lately for society? Mr. Vick paid his dues he owes you nothing.
Mr. O'Neal, I know that you will not see this but I want to thank you so much for your thoughtful and genuine care for a family in need of the kind of covering you provided. It says a bit about you as a human being. I want to thank you personally for taking time out of your life to help a child transcend in a way that will allow her spirit to leave the earth feeling cared for instead of crushed. Thank you, and thank you again.
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