Mom Was Frustrated Finding Shoes For Her Son, Shaq Comes To Save The Day
By Mike-Ross
The Kansas City community came together to assist 16-year-old Jor'el Bolden, a towering teenager with size 23 shoes, in finding comfort and support. The narrative took an unforeseen twist when NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal intervened, making a substantial impact on Bolden's life.
Bolden (left) / Shaq
Bolden, a big guy at 6'5" and 380 lbs, was having a tough time finding shoes that fit him right because of his unusual size. The only option seemed to be custom-made kicks, but they were crazy expensive, like over a grand per pair! That was a real headache for Bolden's mom, Tamika Neal, who's raising him all on her own.
Tamika poured her heart out on a GoFundMe page, explaining how hard it was to afford those custom shoes for her son. She said, "I've talked to some folks who can make shoes for him. They want $1500 for just one pair! And since he's still growing, I figured I'd need to get two pairs. I'm doing my best as a single mom, but it's tough to keep up with the bills and shell out for those shoes."
The Kansas City community responded with overwhelming generosity, pouring in more than $12,000 in donations after the story aired. The heartening tale also caught the attention of national media, with "Entertainment Tonight" reaching out to the family.
To their surprise, retired NBA star Shaquille O'Neal expressed a desire to speak with Bolden and contribute to his comfort. The NBA legend made a Facetime call to Bolden and, less than a week later, three large boxes arrived at Bolden’s doorstep. The boxes contained not only new clothes and items from Shaq’s personal collection but, most importantly, nearly 20 pairs of shoes to accommodate Bolden’s unique size.
"I am just in awe of everything right now, all the help and support that we are getting," exclaimed a grateful Neal.
Check out the amazing story in the video below.
You are currently reading about Mom Was Frustrated Finding Shoes For Her Son, Shaq Comes To Save The Day. If you've found this helpful, please share Mom Was Frustrated Finding Shoes For Her Son, Shaq Comes To Save The Day on your favorite social media site, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Google+
