Earlier this week, a 13-year-old boy from Georgia named Malachi Hemphill died after he accidentally shot himself during an Instagram Live stream. According to WXIA in Atlanta, Hemphill was handling a gun, and as he put the clip in the firearm, it went off. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he passed away.
This story is beyond tragic. While his mother, Shaniqua Stephens, said that the “pain will never go away,” Shaquille O’Neal wants to help the family out by paying for Hemphill’s funeral.
O’Neal lives in Atlanta, and after Hemphill passed away, he called and visited the family. When asked about the gesture, Hemphill’s godmother, Shantirea Bankston, told WXIA that “We just broke down and started crying because Malachi didn’t have any insurance.”
In a statement, O’Neal said “No mother should have to go through this. I can only imagine the pain that she and all of Malachi’s family must be feeling. I just wanted to do what I could to help them at such a terrible time.”
Shaq is known for being pretty generous with his money. WXIA reported that the Hall of Famer has “been quietly doing good works for Metro Atlanta families for years, always with a humble shrug,” and there are plenty of stories out there that highlight this. Still, calling this is a heartwarming gesture from the Hall of Famer may be selling itself short, because this is fantastic.
