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Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal has stepped up to pay for the funeral of a girl who died after a fight with a classmate.
O’Neal, the all-time hoops great, was moved by the death of 12-year-old Jada West, who died earlier this month after the fight, according to TMZ.
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O’Neal made the offer to pay for the funeral when he heard about the death of West, sixth-grader at Mason Creek Middle School in Winston, Georgia, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
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O’Neal serves as the county’s chief of community relations.
Girl’s story touched Shaq’s heart
“This story touched my heart the moment I saw it in the media,” O’Neal said, according to the report.
“As a father, my heart goes out to Jada’s family. No parent should ever have to bury their child, and if there is anything I can do to ease even a small part of that burden, then it is the right thing to do.”
“Our community must surround this family with love, support, and compassion during such a painful moment.”
Off-campus bullying incident allegedly led to death
West died on March 5 following an alleged off-campus bullying incident.
Police are still investigating the incident, according to TMZ.
A GoFundMe launched for West states: “Following a tragic incident connected to ongoing bullying and a physical altercation, Jada passed away, leaving her family, friends, and community devastated. No family should ever have to face the pain of losing a child, and the weight of grief they are carrying right now is unimaginable.”
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