HOUSTON — Shaquille O’Neal is a big man with a big heart. Saturday afternoon, the former NBA star received a big surprise.
O’Neal appeared at a food distribution site at Houston’s NRG Stadium, but he was stunned to learn he was being awarded a humanitarian award by Mayor Sylvester Turner, KTRK reported.
Mayor @SylvesterTurner,who was at the @HoustonFoodBank distribution site at NRG Stadium,thrilled to help honor @SHAQ,who lives n Pearland,as 1st National Humanitarian Award recipient from the group Houston Random Acts of Kindess:”Shaq has done so much on so many different levels” pic.twitter.com/bZrc3LA1bH
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) July 18, 2020
”I didn’t know I was getting an award. I thought I was coming out here to help some people out,” O’Neal told the television station. “I don’t do it for stuff like that.
”If I knew I was getting an award, I probably wouldn’t have come. I don’t do it for that, but I am proud of the mayor and the city of Houston for what they’ve done out here. I’ve never seen a food bank this size and so organized.”
.@SHAQ joined Mayor @SylvesterTurner at todays’s @HoustonFoodBank distribution site at NRG Stadium. Shaq was presented the 1st National Humanitarian Award from the group Houston Random Acts of Kindess. #Houston pic.twitter.com/ZdRxnD5fwt
— Ada (@AdaCOHPress) July 18, 2020
Turner said O’Neal, who lives in nearby Pearland, was a natural choice to be honored.
“Shaq has done so much on so many different levels,” Turner told KTRK. “And this random act of kindness award ... he exemplifies all of that.”
Cox Media Group
