Shaquille O'Neal offers to cover funeral costs for a 12-year-old who allegedly died after being bullied in a fight

Shaquille O’Neal/Shutterstock

Former NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has offered to assist the family of 12-year-old Jada West from Winston, Georgia, who tragically passed away on March 5th after being involved in a physical altercation outside of school.

Shaquille O'Neal is well-known for his generous acts, often surprising strangers with kind gestures such as buying children’s bicycles or giving substantial tips to waitstaff. In fact, he has a reputation for being a pleasant individual to meet in public.

Jada West

Shaq said the story truly impacted him. He stated, "This story touched my heart the moment I saw it in the media," O'Neal said. He continued, "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." The former Lakers star serves as Chief of Community Relations for the Henry County Sheriff's Office in Georgia. He said, "Our community must surround this family with love, support, and compassion during such a painful moment."

Alongside Shaq's offer of support, a GoFundMe campaign was created for Jada's family. The altercation that resulted in West's death was reportedly an act of bullying and is still being investigated.

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