On a warm summer afternoon in Glendale, California, the sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the quiet suburban street. The heat was stifling, making the pavement shimmer like a distant mirage, but amidst the sweltering conditions, there sat a small lemonade stand, where hope was being poured into plastic cups.
Lily, a brave 8-year-old girl with a determination that belied her years, sat behind the stand with her legs swinging just inches above the ground. Her big brown eyes, full of strength and innocence, scanned the neighborhood for potential customers. Her lemonade stand, a simple setup with a red and white checkered cloth, a pitcher of lemonade, and a mason jar labeled “Donations,” was no ordinary summer activity. It was a mission—a mission to raise money for her chemotherapy treatments.
Lily had been diagnosed with leukemia just a year earlier. What should have been a year filled with the joy of childhood—playing outside, riding her bike, and making memories with friends—was replaced by hospital stays, rounds of chemotherapy, and a body too weak to play. Her golden curls had been shaved down to a soft buzz cut, a visual reminder of the toll her illness had taken on her young body.
But here she was, behind her stand, smiling brightly, as if the world was still as it had been before the illness. She called out to every passerby, her voice filled with hope and determination, “Lemonade for hope!” She wasn’t just selling lemonade; she was raising money to help her survive. With every cup she served, she was not only giving hope to her family but also to herself. Each dollar was a symbol of her courage and her refusal to give in to despair.
Her mother, Sarah, watched from the porch, her heart aching. She was torn between pride for her daughter’s bravery and sorrow for the heavy burden Lily carried. The financial strain of ongoing treatments was immense, and though Lily’s efforts were valiant, Sarah knew that one small lemonade stand couldn’t possibly cover the mounting costs. Still, she couldn’t help but marvel at her daughter’s resilience.
Lily had become more than just a sick little girl; she had become a symbol of strength for her entire family. Her determination to contribute, even in the face of such adversity, was something that Sarah could never have imagined before. But it was that same unwavering spirit that had kept them going through the hardest of times. It wasn’t just about the lemonade. It was about Lily’s fight and her refusal to let leukemia define her.
As the hours passed and the heat of the day intensified, the customers were slow to arrive. Lily didn’t mind. She adjusted her straw hat, wiped the sweat from her brow, and continued to serve, her smile as bright as the sun. Sarah watched her daughter from her lawn chair, feeling both immense pride and deep sadness. She could see that Lily’s effort wasn’t just about helping with medical bills—it was about reclaiming control over her life. But as the day wore on, Sarah couldn’t help but feel the weight of the situation. How could they afford all the treatments? How long would it take to raise enough money?
Just as Sarah was beginning to feel the exhaustion of the day herself, a few neighbors began to stop by. Mrs. Johnson, an elderly woman who had lived on the street for years, approached the stand with her cane, her steps slow but deliberate. She had seen Lily sitting there, and without hesitation, she walked over to the stand. “How much for a cup of that lemonade?” she asked warmly.
“One dollar,” Lily replied, her voice steady despite the fatigue in her small frame.
Mrs. Johnson smiled and handed over a ten-dollar bill, insisting that Lily keep the change. As she patted Lily’s hand, she whispered, “Keep fighting, dear. You’ve got this.” Lily’s face lit up, her spirits lifting for the first time that day. She placed the crumpled ten-dollar bill into the mason jar, her small heart soaring with the possibility that maybe, just maybe, she could help her family.
The afternoon continued with more neighbors stopping by, some buying lemonade, others donating to the jar without asking for a drink. But for all the kindness, the reality remained: they were still far from the amount they needed for Lily’s treatment. Sarah could see the doubt creeping into her daughter’s eyes. She could see the weight of the situation settling on Lily’s small shoulders.
Just as Sarah was beginning to feel the burden of that doubt herself, a car slowed down in front of the stand. This time, the driver didn’t just roll down the window and wave like the others had. This man—tall and unassuming—stepped out of the car and walked toward the stand with a quiet energy that commanded attention. He wasn’t a regular passerby. There was something about him that made Lily’s heart skip a beat, though she couldn’t quite place it.
He stopped in front of the stand, crouched down to Lily’s level, and asked, “How much for a cup of lemonade?” His voice was deep and steady, his gaze focused on her with a sense of recognition, as if he understood exactly what she was doing. Lily smiled, a bit unsure of who this stranger might be, but her voice was clear as she replied, “A dollar.”
She carefully poured him a cup of lemonade, her hands trembling slightly from the heat and exhaustion. The man took the cup, sipping it thoughtfully. For a long moment, there was silence as he considered the drink. Then, he smiled at her.
“This is great lemonade, Lily,” he said, his grin widening. “And I think you’ve earned something special.” Without another word, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a checkbook. He quickly scribbled something down, tore the check from the book, and handed it to her.
Lily unfolded the check, her small hands trembling as she read the number written on it. Her heart skipped a beat. “This is for $50,000,” she whispered in awe, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands shook as she held the check up to Sarah, who had been watching from the porch.
Sarah’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Fifty thousand?” she repeated, her voice trembling with emotion. She rushed to Lily’s side, her hands reaching for the check to confirm what she had just seen. The man, seeing their reaction, smiled warmly.
“Yes, $50,000,” he said gently. “And this is just the beginning.”
At that moment, the crowd began to murmur. Whispers rippled through the neighborhood as the realization hit everyone. The man standing before them wasn’t just anyone—he was Shaquille O’Neal, the legendary basketball player. The icon who had captured the hearts of millions. But despite the awe surrounding him, Shaquille’s focus remained solely on Lily.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” Sarah said, her voice choked with gratitude. “Thank you doesn’t seem enough.”
Shaquille smiled, his gaze softening. “You don’t need to say anything,” he replied. “Lily here is doing all the real work. She’s the one inspiring us all.”
Lily, still in shock, looked up at Shaquille. “Are you famous or something?” she asked innocently, her curiosity taking over.
Shaquille chuckled, his voice warm. “A little bit,” he said with a wink. “But not as famous as you’re going to be, Lily.”
As the day wore on, more neighbors came forward to contribute, their donations a mix of cash, kind words, and encouragement. The ripple effect of Shaquille’s donation had sparked a wave of generosity, and soon, the donation jar was overflowing. People weren’t just donating money; they were offering their faith in humanity, their belief in the power of kindness.
As the sun set and the crowd began to disperse, Sarah turned to Lily with tears in her eyes. “Do you see, honey?” she whispered. “This is what hope looks like. This is what love looks like.”
Lily smiled, her heart full. She hadn’t just sold lemonade. She had sold hope. And with the generosity of a community and a basketball legend, she knew that her fight was far from over. She had inspired not just her neighborhood, but everyone who had witnessed her courage. The ripple of kindness had started with her, and now it would continue to spread, touching lives in ways she could never have imagined.
Shaq linked up with GQ fitness columnist Joe Holder to talk about not doing CrossFit, his hot tub-based recovery program and the five songs that get him pumped up in the gym
Shaquille O’Neal has a big appetite. Whether it’s his business deals, his bravado on and off the court, or his charitable initiatives, Shaquille O’Neal knows no chill, even in his post-NBA life. But a recent visit to the doctor – his first since retiring from the NBA in 2011 – made him realise other, more problematic aspects were too big. His weight, for starters, and his chance of issues due to ill health. “When they hit you with that three-letter word that starts with D and ends with E, it changes stuff up,” he said on a recent Zoom call. So he decided to get focused and get his health back on track.
The most dominant NBA player of all time gave GQ the rundown of his new wellness routine, defeating the “Charles Barkley belly,” how blowing his first million dollars changed his view on business, struggling with eating out just like the rest of us, and the best advice (and playlist) the Big Aristotle would give to anyone who is beginning their health journey.
GQ: I want to start with a little bit of an icebreaker: if you were on the cover of GQ again, how would you style yourself? Because I know you have a fashion sense.
Shaquille O’Neal: I’d have a nice business suit, with the shirt buttoned down so you could see the top abs. It would be a mixture of fashion and health. My style is business attire to acquire a company. I don’t wear loud suits anymore ’cause I got a lot of billionaire friends and they don’t spend six, seven thousand on suits and labels – they don’t do it. So it’s like I was going to meet President Obama – I’d have to have a nice clean suit on so my mother would be proud.
My son’s a model and he be wearing some stuff. Sometimes he goes, “This is fashion.” I’m like, “Bro, I’m not wearing suit pants that are two inches too small and no socks.” But I’m older and my mother still watches TV, so I always have to represent my family.
I respect that, “attire to acquire.” One thing I want to dig into is your business mind, because I don’t think you get enough credit for that. You’re able to have a bunch of business partnerships, but you do it in a way that seems super real. And I think that’s special, especially within the Black community. So how do you go about determining what makes sense on a business side?
So, I learned about business from a book called The Dummies’ Guide to Starting Your Own Business. When I got my first million dollars, I spent it! Because I had to pay my family back.
First of all, I gotta get that black-on-black Benz for me. I’m riding through Newark, I’m letting these motherfuckers know, “Hey, I made it.” So when I get back to the crib, my dad says “where’s mine at”? So the Benz just cost 150k. A million minus 150k? In my mind, I got 850k left. So me and him, we jump in the car and went back to see the car dealer. I saw he had two in the black, and we had him bring the other out for my dad. I write the check. So now I got 700k left. We go home and my mom’s a little jealous so we say, “You know what, come get in the car.” So my dad and my mom are in his car, I’m in my car, and we get her the smaller one, it’s about 100k. I had no financial experience. I was very immature, I knew nothing. So then I go get some ice, suits, whatever, chains. So I do all of that – and a couple of days later I get a call from the bank.
The father of someone I went to school with, Mr. Johnson – he called me into the office and says, “Shaq, I want to have a conversation with you about your money.” I was like, “Yeah. What’s up?” He said, “You know, 50, 60 per cent of all professional athletes when they’re done, they have nothing, and I don’t want you to.”
He pulled out a manila envelope and he showed me my finances. So, you know I’m from the hood. Like, you know how you hear all these stories about how people steal money from you? The first name is FICA [Federal Insurance Contribution Act] for 250k, and I go off: “Yo man, who the fuck is FICA? I didn’t write no check for 250 for FICA.” He started laughing. He said, “Shaq, I want you to read this book.” He said, “I know you left school early, but you’re about to come into a lot of money. This can help you.” It’s the Dummies’ Guide to Starting Your Own Business. So I get it, and I read it, and I said: “Let me try it.’”
The first thing I did was start a Subchapter S corporation, because now my family is on salary – I can get that money back. All these cell phones I’m buying? The dope man’s phones? We can get all that back during tax time. I was like, “Damn.”
The second thing I did was I created an emblem. Jordan has Jumpman, ’cause that’s how he dunks. So when I dunk I used to keep my legs up like Dunk Man. Let me trademark it! That was the second thing I did.
Then chapter three of the book talks about joint ventureships. And I always had that in mind like, “Damn, this is good.” So the way I do business is all about joint ventureships and trusts. For example, let’s just say I wanna start a magazine that competes with GQ. I’m looking for the top African-American writers. I’m not writing shit.
You remind me of my late friend Virgil Abloh, who spoke in the same way about setting up businesses. And when we talk about business, one of the things I say is, “Your health is your first business,” your body is your first business. I know coming up on your 50th birthday you wanted to get into “supermodel mode.” What was taking these steps on your fitness and health journey like for you?
I had a new disorder called CBOTBD. Write that down. That’s “Charles Barkley Over the Belt Syndrome.” I was waking up and going to work, chilling, eating whatever. I wasn’t paying attention. I looked down one day, I was like, “Damn.” My belly was way over my belt.
I kept trying these products to help. There was one product out there, from a baseball guy – I tried his product, it didn’t work at all. So I said “You know what? I know there’s a lot of you guys that may want to get back into shape and get their young body. Let me go find a company, see who’s doing it.” I met with a lot of companies and I came across Novex Biotech – I tried their product and I started to see greater boosts of energy, it helped burn the fat – doing all of that stuff. So I said, “Okay, let me help you get this product out. Let’s do a joint venture. I’m gonna help you get this product out for people like me and I want to take something that helps.” I’m not the type that just takes your money and puts my name on some stuff just to take your money, no. It has to work because my name is on the line, my integrity is on the line.
I don’t have Charles Barkley Over the Belt Syndrome anymore. I’m getting really good. I’m getting to the point where I’m going to change my mind and turn the knob to full discipline.
So what are you eating on the day-to-day?
A healthy breakfast – fruit and fruit and fruit – then chicken and fish. I eat a healthy breakfast just to hold me for the day. Three turkey sausages and about four or five egg whites. Meal two is gonna be some fruit. Meal three is gonna be a shake and fruit. Meal four is probably gonna be a light salad and then meal five is gonna be chicken, fish, or steak.
But that’s not the problem, the problem is when I’m on the road and I can’t get to that. I’m a creature of habit: I love sandwiches; I love wraps; I love burgers. With the full discipline to where I’m not doing that, I’m gonna have the body of a 19-year-old. Right now I got a 4.9-pack, which is really good. I can comfortably take my shirt off at the beach – I don’t have no dad bod. I’m looking real nice. But once I turn that knob and get to full discipline then I’m gonna be looking super shredded. I just have to get there again.
So what are the workouts looking like?
Just cardio – 30-40 minutes – then chest, arms, biceps, triceps. A simple old man workout. I can’t do all that CrossFit stuff.
The cardio work you do – you’re not running, are you? What are you, on an elliptical [cross-trainer]?
Well, I tried to run the other day and I’m like, “How was I the greatest athlete in the world?” I just lost everything. So: the elliptical.
Speaking of that, I would argue that you were the most dominant force the NBA has ever seen. Playing against my hometown Nets, you broke the backboard, which I’ll never forget. What was the time when you were playing when you realised “Yo, I can pretty much do whatever I want?”
I’ve seen that people are enamoured with titles, right? But I never wanted to be the best ever. I don’t want to say it’s too much competition, but there are too many names floating around, right? Even now: Kobe, Jordan, LeBron.
Now, most dominant, my category, is only one or two people. I’m fine with that. It’s either me or Wilt [Chamberlain]. I already passed Wilt in championships. When I signed a two-year deal with Boston, I was chasing that fifth ring to catch up with Kobe, but I was also chasing points to catch up with Wilt. If I had passed Wilt, I would have got on TV arrogantly and said, “I am the most dominant person ever. I don’t wanna hear nobody else’s name, period.” Boom, boom, boom. “Nobody did what I did, nobody did it like I do. Forget Wilt.” But because I didn’t pass him, I have to allow people to still say his name. When you say the best, there are 20 people – Dr. J [Julius Erving], Magic [Johnson], Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar], Bill [Russell]. It goes on. But when you say most dominant, there’s only two, so I’m happy.
My vote’s for you. I read that you just went to the doctor for the first time in a long time. How did that change your views on health?
Let me clarify. When you play, you go to the doctor to get checked and a physical, right? But I ain’t played in 11 years so if I’m not playing, what would I go to the doctor for, right?
So when I went back to the doctor there was some stuff I never even knew. They give you those certain words: “Hey man, you got sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can cause hypertension or strokes, you could die.” I said, “What?” “You could die.” So now I’ve got to sleep with a sleep machine.
Then, “All those painkillers you were taking, bro? Your kidneys are kind of weak. No more painkillers.” I was dependent upon painkillers – not addicted. Certain days when I couldn’t move, I just popped one or two, just to get me going. But I’m off that now.
I had to really get checked out. When they hit you with that three-letter word that starts with D and ends with E, it changes stuff up.
What’s your recovery routine like? What do you do to actually feel better?
Hot tub. I got this hot tub. I’ve got this machine that I put on my legs, a Normatec. That’s what I do. Whenever I get tired, or my legs start to swell after I fly, I just sit in my Normatec and I get in the hot tub and I just try to stretch. I’m not even a real stretcher. I just go down, go to the left, go to the right, floor, try to touch my toes. Basics.
You’re big on helping people recover too – you’ve gone viral for your charity. Whether it’s a Boys and Girls Club, it’s why you started your sneaker line, it’s what you do for improving children’s health. I know for you it’s not going viral, but I’m just interested to know: Why is giving back so important to you? Because it’s not for everyone.
I don’t really consider it giving back. One, it is what my mother always taught me to do. It’s just helping people in need. I didn’t feel it was necessary for me to continue to sell my shoes for $150. My contract is already guaranteed, right? That’s the money part. I’m getting paid. So you sell a certain amount, you get residuals but like, O.K., I already got the big cheque, right? If I sell a lot of expensive shoes, it would be another big cheque, but I’m not going to do that to nobody’s baby. So I’m gonna still continue to get paid, but I’m gonna make it to where these babies can afford their shoes. I always just wanted to have fair pricing for people, ’cause I couldn’t even go to my Dad’s office and ask him for $100 for no shoes. “Boy, are you crazy? You know how many chickens and steak dinners and you know how many school supplies I can get you with $100?”
I know you’re also worldwide in terms of your music, as “DJ Diesel.”For a quick, five-song workout playlist, what are you giving me?
You also go by The Big Aristotle, so I need some wisdom: Anybody that wants to get inspired on their fitness journey, what do you tell them?
I tell them to imagine how you wanna look, then get all the necessary information, and really understand and focus. It’s all about the diet. Because even now, if I do 500 sit-ups a day, my six-pack ain’t right like how I want it, ’cause it’s all about the diet. So diet, preparation, focus, and belief. You just have to stick to your routine. That’s it.
