Close Ad

When Shaq Discovered A Teen Boy's Mom Couldn't Afford Extra-Large Shoes, He Did This
Shaq and Zach Keith at shoe store
Celebrities

When Shaq Discovered A Teen Boy's Mom Couldn't Afford Extra-Large Shoes, He Did This

The boy's mom struggled to buy footwear for her size 18 son, so the basketball legend intervened.

Unusual shoe and clothing sizes can be less accessible and more expensive. A mom who finally found shoes her son with extra large feet could fit into discovered she couldn't afford them.

Growing fast

Zach Keith is growing fast. He’s 13 years old, but already wears a size 18. His mom, Brittany, is a single parent, and money is tight. Shoes are expensive, but he still needs them. So when she needed to buy her son footwear that she couldn't afford, she turned to social media in the hope someone may donate a pair to her son.


And, wow, did it work! Brittany’s social media post happened to be viewed by CBS46 News anchor Sharon Reed, who then reached out to Shaquille O’Neal -- who knows a few things about having extra-large feet.  He immediately decided to help.

Shaq intervenes

“Mom couldn’t afford shoes. The kid had big feet. I just kind of reminisced about how that used to be me, my mom and my dad,” O’Neal said. He’s in the past shared he’ll never forget the generosity shown to him by Bruce Teilhaber, owner of Friedman’s Shoes in Atlanta, a family-owned store known for carrying larger sizes, who gave him countless pairs for free when he couldn’t afford to buy them himself. 

And that’s where Shaq remains a loyal customer to this day.

So when Zach walked into the store with his mom, he was shocked and excited to run into Shaq, who bought him 10 pairs of shoes!

“I’m like, ‘Whoa, he wants to buy me shoes, out of all people?'” Zach said. O’Neal also gave Zach some cash and his personal phone number.

“I’m [gonna] take care of the kid today because somebody did it for me,” O’Neal explained. “I’m doing it for the kid…That should last him for a long time.”

Never forget where you came from

Shaq is known for his random acts of kindness, and there is something glaring in his gestures: Even though he's famous and wealthy, he can still remember the days when he didn't have much. It's easy to criticize celebrities for being out of touch with reality, and some might be, but this basketball legend always stays grounded and finds ways to help out people who don't have his privilege. And we can all take a cue from him on that front.

More inspiring celebrities: 

Kindness Lasts Forever
Wether it's saving someone at sea or giving up your plane seat, kindness makes a lasting impact

Hot Stories

Why Paul Walker Left His Only Daughter With Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel & Paul Walker were more than just friends, they were …

content.jwplatform.com

When the tragic news of Paul Walker's death surfaced, the world was left in shock. As one of the most beloved stars of the Fast and Furious franchise, his passing was felt deeply by fans around the globe. But perhaps the most devastating impact was felt by his daughter, Meadow Walker, who was left without a father.

Keep ReadingShow less
Life Stories
cracker barrel waitress in tears
Cracker Barrel Server Left in Shock After a Group of Diners Leave Her a $1,200 Tip (1)

There are many mixed opinions when it comes to tipping. But the reality is that many servers rely on tips to make a decent living, working hard to ensure customer satisfaction with each and every meal.

But even the best of servers don’t expect their patrons to go above and beyond like this group of diners did one day in Georgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his parents Randi and Pat
Archive

Make no mistake about it: Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL. The Tyler, Texas native is the son of Pat Mahomes, a former Major League Baseball player, and Randi Martin.

He burst onto the scene in 2018 when he made history by throwing 50 touchdown passes and 5,000 yards in a single season — a record he shares with Peyton Manning. He followed up his initial success by leading the Kansas City Chiefs to an incredible victory at Super Bowl LIV. If that wasn’t enough, he carried the team through to yet another Super Bowl the very next year, though they ended up losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mahomes has gone to two more Super Bowls since and he's won back-to-back titles (2023 and 2024).

Keep ReadingShow less
Family