Shaq pays for N.C. girl's funeral

miami_fan · 11-26-2009, 09:15 PM

Shaquille O'Neal pays for funeral of 5-year-old North Carolina kidnapping victim - ESPN

Quote:

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Basketball star Shaquille O'Neal paid for the funeral of a 5-year-old North Carolina girl after being moved by national news coverage of the case of Shaniya Davis, who police say was kidnapped and killed.

The Cleveland Cavaliers player was touched by the stories he saw and got in touch with the family to see what he could do to help, a spokeswoman for O'Neal said Thursday.

More than 2,000 people attended the girl's funeral Sunday. Her body was found Nov. 16 beside a rural road.

Her mother, Antionette Davis, who had reported the child missing six days earlier, is charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. Mario McNeill is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the case.

"I was sitting at home watching it on the news and the story brought a tear to my eye," O'Neal told The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper.

Corey Breece, of Rogers and Breece Funeral Home, which handled the service, declined to tell the Fayetteville Observer newspaper how much it cost but added that a child's funeral "averages around $4,500."

A man who answered the phone at the funeral home Thursday told the AP that only the owner could comment and that he was away.

Shaniya Davis' father, Bradley Lockhart, and his family had set up a trust fund in memory of Shaniya to help raise money to pay for the funeral. Lockhart was not available to talk Thursday, said a man who answered the phone at his home.

O'Neal is recovering from a shoulder injury that has sidelined him for six straight games since getting hurt Nov. 12 against Miami.

I know it is "just" $4500. I know he could have done a helluva lot more. I know he may be just doing it for publicity sake. But there are more than a few people who could have stepped up and did the same thing and they did not. Good job Shaq.

bigmike75 · 11-26-2009, 10:07 PM

I doubt he's doing it for publicity, Shaq has always been pretty community involved. Good for him..

RendeR · 11-26-2009, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmike75

I doubt he's doing it for publicity, Shaq has always been pretty community involved. Good for him..

+1

M GO BLUE!!! · 11-26-2009, 10:13 PM

Right on, Shaq.

Eaglesfan27 · 11-26-2009, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmike75

I doubt he's doing it for publicity, Shaq has always been pretty community involved. Good for him..

Agreed, he has done a lot over the years and I'm sure he does stuff that goes unpublicized.

JonInMiddleGA · 11-26-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Agreed, he has done a lot over the years and I'm sure he does stuff that goes unpublicized.

This.

BYU 14 · 11-26-2009, 11:16 PM

Shaq really is a community guy (did a lot here in Phoenix) and if he had his drouthers I am sure the media would not have been notified.

miami_fan · 11-26-2009, 11:53 PM

Just tried to cover the cynical comments in advance

RainMaker · 11-27-2009, 01:06 AM

Shaq has always been a charitable guy. I don't think he did it for publicity, just think he's a nice guy.

dubb93 · 11-27-2009, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Agreed, he has done a lot over the years and I'm sure he does stuff that goes unpublicized.

I work in healthcare here in Indiana and we had a woman named Sandy Allen who lived in a nursing home that I was often in and out of. Well, at one time Sandy was the tallest woman in the world and Shaq would often send her gift baskets of clothes her size and shoes that would fit her.

sterlingice · 12-10-2009, 11:28 AM

Just saw this thread and I'm always happy to see them. It seems like every few months or so, we get a story like this leaked out about Shaq and they always seem like it's against his will that they get leaked as he'd rather give and not get the publicity.

SI

DaddyTorgo · 12-10-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubb93

I work in healthcare here in Indiana and we had a woman named Sandy Allen who lived in a nursing home that I was often in and out of. Well, at one time Sandy was the tallest woman in the world and Shaq would often send her gift baskets of clothes her size and shoes that would fit her.

you knew Sandy Allen? cooL!

clemsonfan · 12-10-2009, 03:25 PM

Shaq is one of the nicest people out there.

RomaGoth · 12-10-2009, 04:44 PM

Very cool thing he did, regardless of the monetary amount involved.

I will also add that this is a travesty; another innocent child violated and murdered due to some sick fucks.

Too bad Shaq can't pick the fuckers up by their neck and choke them to death. I, for one, would be ok with that.

ISiddiqui · 12-10-2009, 05:34 PM

Shaq may not not be able to, but I'm sure Steel could!

dubb93 · 12-10-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

you knew Sandy Allen?

Yes I did.

11-26-2009, 11:53 PM	#8
miami_fan Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Land O Lakes FL	Just tried to cover the cynical comments in advance __________________ "The blind soldier fought for me in this war. The least I can do now is fight for him. I have eyes. He hasn’t. I have a voice on the radio, he hasn’t. I was born a white man. And until a colored man is a full citizen, like me, I haven’t the leisure to enjoy the freedom that colored man risked his life to maintain for me. I don’t own what I have until he owns an equal share of it. Until somebody beats me and blinds me, I am in his debt."- Orson Welles August 11, 1946

12-10-2009, 11:28 AM	#11
sterlingice Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Back in Houston!	Just saw this thread and I'm always happy to see them. It seems like every few months or so, we get a story like this leaked out about Shaq and they always seem like it's against his will that they get leaked as he'd rather give and not get the publicity. SI __________________ Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!"

12-10-2009, 05:34 PM	#15
ISiddiqui Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Decatur, GA	Shaq may not not be able to, but I'm sure Steel could! __________________ "A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" -Tennessee Williams

11-26-2009, 10:07 PM	#2
bigmike75 n00b Join Date: Sep 2004	I doubt he's doing it for publicity, Shaq has always been pretty community involved. Good for him..

11-26-2009, 10:13 PM	#4
M GO BLUE!!! Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2005	Right on, Shaq.

11-26-2009, 11:16 PM	#7
BYU 14 Coordinator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The scorched Desert	Shaq really is a community guy (did a lot here in Phoenix) and if he had his drouthers I am sure the media would not have been notified.

11-27-2009, 01:06 AM	#9
RainMaker Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago, IL	Shaq has always been a charitable guy. I don't think he did it for publicity, just think he's a nice guy.

12-10-2009, 03:25 PM	#13
clemsonfan High School JV Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dayton, OH	Shaq is one of the nicest people out there.

12-10-2009, 04:44 PM	#14
RomaGoth Favored Bitch #2 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Here	Very cool thing he did, regardless of the monetary amount involved. I will also add that this is a travesty; another innocent child violated and murdered due to some sick fucks. Too bad Shaq can't pick the fuckers up by their neck and choke them to death. I, for one, would be ok with that.

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