Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal is donating a home to the family of a 12-year old boy that was shot at a football game in Atlanta and paralyzed.
In a recent interview with WXIA-TV, O'Neal said that Isaiah Payton's family was living in a one-bedroom apartment and the dwelling didn't have access for anyone with disabilities. O'Neal learned of the situation and purchased a home to make life easier for them.
In addition, Shaq plans to pay the family's rent for the upcoming calendar year.
"I reached out to the family because I wanted to see the son and I said he's not going to release the sign until she's able to move on the first floor. So, we found her a house. I'm going to pay her rent for the year and I'm going to give her some furniture and it's sad because her son is paralyzed from the chest down and no mother should have to go to that," O'Neal said.
Payton was paralyzed when he was shot at a football game in August. Payton and Damean Spear were leaving the high school game between Mays High School and Carver High School when both were struck by the gunfire. Spears was hit in the leg and was later released from the hospital. Payton was shot in the spine and will now require long-term disability.
"It's just sad," O'Neal added. "It could have been any one of us. It could have been my son. It could've been your cousin. She was living in a one-bedroom apartment with her two boys, so we found her a house in a nice area."
As if O'Neal's charitable donations weren't heartwarming enough, two members of the board at Papa John's and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are also contributing the cause to help the family out.
