Shout out to Shaq for stepping up:
Basketball star Shaquille O’Neal paid for the funeral of a 5-year-old North Carolina girl after being moved by national news coverage of the case of Shaniya Davis, who police say was kidnapped and killed.
The Cleveland Cavaliers player was touched by the stories he saw and got in touch with the family to see what he could do to help, a spokeswoman for O’Neal said Thursday. More than 2,000 people attended the girl’s funeral Sunday. Her body was found Nov. 16 beside a rural road. Her mother, Antoinette Davis, who had reported the child missing six days earlier, is charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. Mario McNeill is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the case.
“I was sitting at home watching it on the news and the story brought a tear to my eye,” O’Neal told The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper. Corey Breece, of Rogers and Breece Funeral Home, which handled the service, declined to tell the Fayetteville Observer newspaper how much it cost but added that a child’s funeral “averages around $4,500.”
A man who answered the phone at the funeral home Thursday told the AP that only the owner could comment and that he was away. Shaniya Davis’ father, Bradley Lockhart, and his family had set up a trust fund in memory of Shaniya to help raise money to pay for the funeral. Lockhart was not available to talk Thursday, said a man who answered the phone at his home.
Thanks Josq
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57
Flo 11/27/09, 08:45:AM
SOOO SAD!!!
Abajian 11/27/09, 08:46:AM
thats good. the situation is still sad but at least she had a proper funeral and is in a better place now.
not so interesting.. 11/27/09, 08:47:AM
Sooo sweet of Shaq to step up and offer that helping hand.
leogame 11/27/09, 08:48:AM
still sad. May her soul rest in perfect peace
Poeticphire 11/27/09, 08:49:AM
rest in peace sweet baby Shaniya. Props to Shaq for stepping in.
lovie 11/27/09, 08:50:AM
kudos for Shaq helping any way he can.
2 SEXY in NO! 11/27/09, 08:50:AM
That is why I LOVE SHAQ! Great JOB HONEY!
Bg( Still full!!!) 11/27/09, 09:06:AM
Shaq is a great humanitarian.
Cicely 11/27/09, 09:08:AM
Very classy Shaq. Bravo for helping this family.
T LO 11/27/09, 09:10:AM
I THINK THAT IT’S GREAT TO SEE SOMEONE LIKE SHAQ STEP IN AND HELP OUT. I DON’T THINK ANYONE HAS THE THOUGHT O LET ME PUT THIS MONEY AWAY INCASE MY CHILD SHOULD PASS. SO IT’S GREAT AMONGST THE STRESS OF HER LOVED ONES GRIEVING HER THAT THEY DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A PROPPER BURIAL. SHE WAS SENT HER SPECIAL FROM GOD. SO LETS HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM THE SITUATION.
Maco 11/27/09, 09:11:AM
Check me out at http://www.youtube.com/monthervil
Thanks!
sexyprettysista 11/27/09, 09:21:AM
good to see someone doing something positive with their wealth. the story is sad, i don’t know why some people have kids just to be cruel to them
Janae 11/27/09, 09:22:AM
Thanks, Shaq.
GiveMeProps 11/27/09, 09:23:AM
“A spokeswoman for O’Neal…”
It’s always nice when people reach out to help others… but why not do it anonymously?
I know people don’t want to hear that sort of thing because it comes across as negative (which I don’t mean) but really… why announce it to the media?
$4500 is not a lot of money. So is it for the love Shaq, or is it “for the love?”
Rihanna's sharp n witchy finger to the oath 11/27/09, 09:29:AM
Shaq, YOU ARE THE MAN! This baby suffered and she deserves to be laid to rest in the best fashion.
Rest In Peace, Little Angel, Shaniya.
…I think it’s safe to say, we all lost Shaniya.
MizASterling 11/27/09, 09:34:AM
What a credible thing to do. I’m glad to see that there are people in the world that care about children. But it’s a shame when a perfect stranger has to reach out for a child who should have been protected by her mother in the first place.
KeepNit2Real 11/27/09, 09:38:AM
Shaq probably did it to get next to her baby momma…
shavondenise 11/27/09, 09:39:AM
Good move by Shaq.
Cristal 11/27/09, 09:41:AM
That is so sweet of Shaq to help like that.
I STILL cant believe that little girl is dead…:-(
Juicy J 11/27/09, 09:42:AM
Good stuff, Shaq. You prove that all adulterers are not created equal
My positiveness will over shadow your negativity 11/27/09, 09:57:AM
Who cares if it was for publicity. This little girl can have decent resting place that her father couldn’t afford. And Shaq took the worries of money and stressing over how her funeral is going to be paid. Some people just need to shut the hell up and let these rich folks help out. Shaq was moved by the death of an innocent child! Some people just like negativity in their lives. Way to go Shaq you did the right thing!
jjj / Proud Jamaican 11/27/09, 10:14:AM
That was very wonderful of Shaq.
abcdefg 11/27/09, 10:17:AM
SEE THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE FROM NEWARK…
GOOD DEAL SHAQ…
twinnytwin 11/27/09, 10:20:AM
That is really NICE of you Shaquille!! You will be so Blessed for that!
AfroRicanindaboot 11/27/09, 10:22:AM
I think this was the sweetest thing for such a horrible situation. That mother needs the death penalty and May GOD watch over these babies… The end is near and things are only going to get worse.
RIP Baby Girl
1985 11/27/09, 10:28:AM
That was a really thoughtful thing for Shaq to do, but people are still finding something negative to say, (sigh)
Bob B 11/27/09, 11:31:AM
Good man
MisNes 11/27/09, 11:33:AM
RIP sweet child
white male 11/27/09, 11:35:AM
He already has 50 bouncing cars, what else can he spend his money on?
it"s me 11/27/09, 11:37:AM
yeah why to step up Shaq… You are still the man with a big heart!!!!
Jamillah 11/27/09, 11:59:AM
What a gracious act of kindness. I applaud Shaq for following his heart and helping that family.
tim 11/27/09, 12:01:PM
Shaq, Thanks for helping out the little Angel. If some readers were to read the story it was sad. How can you have sex with a 5 yrs old girl. Readers just imaging if you have a 5 yrs old girl and she was being rape for money that was owe. God Bless.
khadijah 11/27/09, 12:47:PM
May She rest in Peace . That was nice of Shaq to do what he did . Make stronger laws for these monsters who do this disguting acts to children .KILL THEM !!
EXQUISITEOne 11/27/09, 01:11:PM
This story touched the hearts of many people but Shaq thank you for stepping in and helping the family to give this innocent girl a decent funeral. God Bless You!!!
valerie 11/27/09, 01:42:PM
thank God for shaq
tasha 11/27/09, 02:39:PM
great job shaq.
her piece of s*** mother should face eternal turmoil. and the joke that violated her innocence should have his male piece buried and he will get gang raped in prison for coming in with a molester jacket.
His Heart 11/27/09, 03:32:PM
This is one of the sadest stories I’ve ever heard in my life! I be watching TV at night and keep finding myself watching Nancy Grace every night since this happened to that child.Go bless Shaq!!!!
Its6amHoGetOut, Bored because my girl, my sister and my mother went shoppin' at 5am, you know damn well I wasnt getting up that early! 11/27/09, 04:47:PM
This is a commendable act by Shaq, Emmitt Tyler Perry was gonna fund the funeral but he found out it was for a girl and not a boy.
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Josq 11/27/09, 05:52:PM
Thanks for the props Bossip!
Josq 11/27/09, 05:56:PM
@GiveMeProps
Shaq actually does a lot for the community, especially issues involving children. People think that his foray into law enforcement is all for fun and publicity, but he actually uses his name and position to raise awareness.
This incident is tragic, and this little girl was clearly never shown any genuine love in her short life. Shaq being a father recognized this, and decided to step in and show this girl’s spirit that she deserved love.
Props to him, let’s not take away from it.
peaches 11/27/09, 06:13:PM
When I picked up my local paper and read that on the front page, it brought tears to my eyes. Thank God for people like Shaq. Who cares if it was given anonomously or not; he did a GREAT thing. Shaniya is buried about 5 minutes away from my house. I plan to keep flowers on her grave on a regular basis. God Bless Shaq and God Bless Shaniya!!
King John 11/27/09, 06:32:PM
Josq
Just to let you know, Marquis de Sade announced this yesterday on the Thanksgiving Day thread.
CubaLinda 11/27/09, 06:39:PM
What a kind gesture Shaq… Would it be negative if I added, “where were the NC Bobcats?
Josq 11/27/09, 07:01:PM
@King John
uh, okay?
lol, I sent Bossip the link yesterday – but it’s not really that serious is it?
The most important thing is the gesture involved here, just wanted a black athlete to get some love for doing something good and this little girl’s story to get as much attention as possible.
clay 11/27/09, 07:13:PM
I feel so sorry for that little angel. Shaq is a good person, regardless of what the media says about him! How many other celeb’s stepped up to offer some type of help? None…..
Corve DaCosta 11/27/09, 07:48:PM
great job
vicki 11/27/09, 10:29:PM
Anyone with a ounce of humanity could not help but be moved by this horrific tragedy, Shaq like the rest of us was moved, willing and able to assist, blessing to all that do unselfish acts on the daily be of service people , it’s all good and it’s all priceless.
Canadian Fan 11/27/09, 10:53:PM
Very classy Shaq ! This story touched my heart. RIP little princess. God bless your family.
Anonymous 11/28/09, 01:49:AM
Just shows u that there are still kind hearted people like Shaquille O Neal to pay for sweet lil Shaniya’s funeral and shows you that ,that sweet lil angel touched everybodys heart even a celebrity like hiself. Good job Shaq! you will continue to be blessed what a great deed you did! Prayers go out to Shaniya Davis’s family stay strong!