The hallways of Robert Russell Elementary School in San Antonio looked almost exactly the same as they had when Shaquille O’Neal walked through them as a young boy. The same worn tile floors echoed with the footsteps of students rushing to class, and the same inspirational posters adorned the walls, reminding them of their potential. However, there was one thing that had remained unchanged for the last five decades: the presence of the school’s principal, Grant Holloway.
Now 83 years old, Grant had been the heart and soul of Robert Russell Elementary for nearly half a century. He still arrived at the school each morning at 6:30 sharp, his suit pressed and his smile as warm and encouraging as it had been when he first took the job in the 1970s. But what many didn’t know was that the elderly principal had been quietly struggling with his own finances. His modest pension barely covered his living expenses, and the medical bills from his late wife’s illness had piled up over the years. Despite these challenges, he continued to show up every day, dedicated to inspiring the next generation.
That morning, Grant sat at his desk, reviewing the latest budget cuts. The aging building needed repairs that the school couldn’t afford, and crucial educational programs were at risk of being cut. Yet, his optimism remained unwavering as he prepared for another day of greeting students and encouraging them to reach for their dreams. Little did he know that his life—and the future of the school—was about to change forever.
Across town, in the luxurious setting of a high-end hotel suite, Shaquille O’Neal was preparing for what he thought would be a routine business meeting. His assistant, Katon Wells, was briefing him on his schedule when Shaq’s attention was suddenly caught by a headline on a local news website: “Local Elementary School Principal Celebrates 50 Years of Service.” Below it was a photo that made Shaq pause midstride. It was a picture of the man who had first believed in him when he was just a gangly, oversized fourth grader—Grant Holloway.
The memory of Grant, with his kind eyes and unwavering belief, flooded Shaq’s mind. It was Grant who had first seen something in him, long before anyone else did. Shaq had been a tall, clumsy child who often felt out of place. But Grant had always made him feel like he belonged, like he could achieve greatness if he believed in himself. And now, as a grown man with a successful NBA career, Shaq realized that it was time for him to give back.
“Katon,” Shaq said, his voice unusually quiet, “clear my schedule for tomorrow. I need to go back to Robert Russell Elementary.”
The next morning, Shaq arrived at the school early, his towering frame ducking slightly to fit through the small doors. He was greeted with an outpouring of excitement from the staff, many of whom remembered him as the tall, awkward kid who once roamed the hallways. The students, unaware of the legendary basketball player in their midst, continued their morning routines, but Shaq couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of nostalgia as he walked through the school’s familiar halls.
Grant was in his office, reviewing maintenance reports with the school’s maintenance supervisor, Isaiah Brooks. The gym floor, which had once been the site of Shaq’s earliest basketball memories, was in disrepair, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to patch it up. Grant’s optimism remained, but even he couldn’t deny that the gym and the school were falling apart. As he worked, his mind lingered on a photograph from a yearbook—one that showed a young, smiling Shaquille O’Neal. Grant had been the one to convince the photographer to let Shaq stand for the class photo, as he was already too tall to sit down like the other kids.
At that moment, Shaquille stood outside Grant’s office, gazing at the old photograph of himself. The flood of memories hit him hard, and he paused before stepping into the office. His presence was so large, both physically and emotionally, that when he entered the room, it seemed to fill every corner. Grant, who had been quietly helping a student with a math problem, looked up slowly, his eyes widening in surprise as he recognized the man standing before him.
“Mr. Holloway,” Shaq said, his voice full of warmth but also deep emotion, “it’s been a long time.”
Grant stood slowly, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “Shaquille,” he said, a gentle smile spreading across his face, “you’ve grown a bit since I last saw you in my office.”
Shaquille moved forward carefully, navigating the small office that seemed even smaller with his towering presence. “I saw an article about your 50 years of service,” Shaq said softly, his eyes reflecting the admiration he had always held for his former principal. “But that’s not the whole story, is it? The article didn’t mention how you bought basketball shoes for kids who needed them or how you stayed late to let us practice. You made sure every single student felt like they mattered.”
Grant tried to dismiss the compliment, as he always had, but Shaq’s voice was insistent. “You believed in me when no one else did. Not Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA player—but Shaquille, the young kid who didn’t fit in anywhere. You were the one who saw the leader in me before anyone else did.”
Before Grant could respond, a group of well-dressed individuals arrived at the school. Shaq waved them back, signaling that this moment was for something far more significant than cameras or publicity. “Mr. Holloway,” Shaq began, his voice growing more serious, “I didn’t just come here to reminisce. I came because I saw that article, and I realized something important. You’ve spent your whole life fighting for kids, making their dreams possible. Now, it’s time for someone to fight for you.”
With that, Shaq led Grant through the halls, taking him past the classrooms, the gym, and the places where memories had been made. As they approached the gym doors, Shaq paused. “This isn’t just about fixing the gym,” he said, his tone filled with conviction. “It’s about honoring the man who believed in every child who walked through these doors. It’s about giving back.”
When they entered the gym, Grant was stunned. What he had expected to see was the same worn floor and outdated equipment, but instead, he found a team of contractors, architects, and designers working on a complete renovation plan. New classrooms, state-of-the-art facilities, and a fully equipped gymnasium were all part of the transformation. Shaquille had not only pledged the funds for these upgrades but had brought together a team of donors and supporters to ensure the school’s future.
Grant’s hands trembled as he looked at the plans, a mix of disbelief and gratitude in his eyes. Shaq’s gift wasn’t just about financial support—it was about ensuring that the legacy of Robert Russell Elementary would live on for future generations.
The renovation wasn’t just about the physical building. It was about honoring the spirit of belief that had shaped Shaquille’s life and the lives of countless others. Shaq’s investment was an investment in the future—an investment in the kids who would one day walk the same halls, find their passions, and be given the opportunities that Grant had always fought to provide.
As the day went on, more details of the renovation were revealed, including new programs that would be implemented to ensure every child had the opportunity to succeed. The basketball gym would be restored to regulation size, and a new mentorship initiative would be established to guide students beyond academics and athletics. The impact on the school—and the community—was beyond what anyone had imagined.
At the end of the day, as the contractors and designers packed up their equipment, Shaquille handed Grant a final gift: a custom-made jersey with the name “Holloway” and the number “50” on the back. “Some achievements,” Shaq said with a smile, “are bigger than any championship.”
Grant stood there, holding the jersey with trembling hands. “I never expected any of this,” he said softly.
“You never did it for recognition,” Shaq replied gently. “That’s exactly why you deserve this and more. You taught me that true success isn’t about what you achieve for yourself; it’s about what you help others achieve.”
In that moment, as the gym lights dimmed and the students filed out for the day, the legacy of Grant Holloway’s dedication was forever transformed. Through Shaquille O’Neal’s incredible gift, the school, and the community, had been given a future that would continue to impact generations to come.
Shaq Brings 2,000 Nintendo Switches and PS5s To Underprivileged Kids On Christmas: A Long List of His Good Deeds
The always generous Shaquille O’Neil turned into Shaq-a-Claus in December to shower low-income students with gifts this Christmas.
Twitter post by Pepsi Stronger Together
The basketball star revealed on a podcast with Gary Vaynerchuk that he had bought 1,000 Playstation 5s, another 1,000 Nintendo Switches, and an unspecified number of bicycles and and delivered them to school children in Georgia.
“My father was a drill sergeant, my mother just was a hard-working woman,” he said on air. “They had little, but they taught me the value of giving back. They taught me the value of helping those in need.”
“I ordered about 1000 Switches and 1000 PS5s. I went to Walmart and got bikes. So you know yesterday, at this little elementary school in McDonough, Georgia, kids were crying, kids were happy. And that’s what it’s all about,” said Santa Shaq.
He joined representatives from Tonka, ‘Pepsi Stronger Together’, and others to rain down gifts and cheer to schools in Las Vegas, where the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation provided toys, laptops, and lunch for even more children—as well as opening a brand-new basketball court where kids can try on Shaq’s shoes for fun.
It’s not the first year schools would be on the receiving end of a charitable Shaq-attack, as O’Neil’s “Shaq to School” program coordinates with Amazon and Zappos to delivery school supplies every year to 5,000 children who can’t afford them.
“Kids gravitate to me because I am the simple gateway,” he said in a recent mini-doc about his giving tendencies. “When kids see me they was like, ‘I can relate to Shaq, he’s silly.’”
The gentle giant
Shaquille O’Neil is a walking bundle of good deeds waiting to slam dunk on unsuspecting people. Like the most diligent sports reporter, GNN has closely followed Shaq’s career—of giving.
After overhearing a young man was still after weeks of work, far away from paying the outstanding balance on his wife’s engagement ring, Shaq put the balance on his credit card, saying “I’m just trying to make people smile.”
In 2020 he stopped on the side of the road to help a Florida woman whose car had just crashed. The family of a 12-year old boy in Atlanta who was paralyzed by stray gunfire at a violent shootout, received a shock when Shaq bought them an entirely-new wheelchair accessible house, which we can only assume they called the “Shaq Shack”.
When Shaq was in school himself, and unable to fit into most sneakers, a cobbler who specialized in large shoes gave the boy a free pair. Doug the Cobbler has since been repaid by that single loss of revenue many times, with Shaq buying over 2,000 pairs of shoes—both for himself and for donating to kids who have the same problem as he once did.
WATCH a heartwarming compilation of Shaq kindnesses…
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