When a Homeless Child Screamed ‘Don’t Eat That,’ Steph Curry Stepped In and No One Expected…

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On a freezing December evening in New York City, the streets of Manhattan were alive with holiday cheer. Tourists gathered around the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, its twinkling lights casting a warm glow against the biting chill. Among the bustling crowd, NBA superstar Steph Curry strolled quietly, dressed in a simple coat and scarf, his unassuming demeanor blending into the sea of shoppers.

He stopped at a food cart, purchasing a hot dog to stave off the cold. Just as he was about to take a bite, a desperate voice rang out: “Don’t eat that!”

Startled, Steph froze mid-bite. He turned to see a young boy, no older than nine, his face smudged with dirt and his oversized hoodie hanging loose on his small frame. The boy’s voice trembled as he pleaded, “It’s poisoned. Please don’t eat it.”

Steph crouched to the boy’s level, his calm voice steady. “What’s your name?”

“Tyler,” the boy whispered, his wide eyes darting nervously to the vendor. “I saw a man give him money earlier. He said something about sending a message.”

The vendor denied the boy’s accusation, but something in Tyler’s raw desperation tugged at Steph’s heart. He handed the hot dog back and offered the boy a hundred-dollar bill, suggesting he get himself something warm to eat. Tyler refused. “I don’t want your money,” he said, tears brimming in his eyes. “I want you to believe me.”

Steph believed him. He took Tyler to a nearby diner, hoping to uncover the truth. Over steaming mugs of hot chocolate, Tyler revealed a heartbreaking story of loss, loneliness, and life on the streets. His mother had disappeared years ago, leaving him to fend for himself. Tyler described the suspicious exchange he’d witnessed earlier, hinting at something sinister.

The diner’s door suddenly swung open, and a man in a black coat stepped inside, his piercing gaze locking onto Steph. Tyler’s grip on Steph’s arm tightened as he whispered, “That’s him.”

The man smirked, addressing Steph directly. “Didn’t expect to see you here, Curry.”

Steph’s calm exterior didn’t falter. “Leave the boy alone.”

The man’s smirk widened. “I’m not after him. He’s just a pawn. You, on the other hand, have something I need.”

Steph refused to back down. “You’re not getting anywhere near him.”

The tension in the room was palpable as the man reached into his coat. Before Steph could react, the diner’s door burst open again, and two police officers stormed in, guns drawn. They arrested the man, revealing that he was a wanted criminal. But Tyler’s fear lingered. “They always come back,” he whispered, his voice trembling.

Steph’s heart ached for the boy. He vowed to protect Tyler, no matter the cost. Unsure of what to do next, Steph brought Tyler to a modest cabin he owned outside the city. Nestled deep in the woods, the cabin was quiet and isolated—a temporary refuge from the chaos. Tyler seemed to relax slightly, but the weight of his story hung heavy in the air.

That night, as Tyler slept on the couch, Steph stood by the window, scanning the dark forest outside. A shadowy figure lingered near the treeline, sending a chill down his spine. When Steph looked again, the figure was gone, but the unease remained. Whoever was after Tyler wasn’t going to give up easily.

The next evening, Steph prepared to take Tyler to the authorities, hoping to find answers about why the boy was being hunted. But before they could leave, a loud knock at the door shattered the quiet. Tyler’s breath hitched as he clung to Steph’s arm.

“Stay here,” Steph said softly, moving cautiously to the door. Peering through the peephole, he saw a dark figure standing on the porch. “What do you want?” Steph demanded as he opened the door a crack.

The figure’s voice was low and distorted. “The boy. Hand him over, and no one gets hurt.”

“Not a chance,” Steph replied, his voice firm.

More masked figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding the cabin. Tyler peeked through the window, his small frame trembling. “Steph!” he cried out.

Steph turned back to Tyler. “It’s going to be okay,” he said, his voice steady despite the rising tension. “Stay inside. Lock the door. I’ll handle this.”

As the masked men advanced, Steph stepped onto the porch, his stance unyielding. “If you want him, you’ll have to go through me,” he said, his voice filled with quiet resolve.

The forest echoed with tension as the men closed in. Steph knew the odds weren’t in his favor, but he also knew one thing for certain: he wouldn’t let anything happen to Tyler. The boy had suffered enough, and Steph was determined to give him a chance at a better life.

The battle was just beginning, but Steph’s resolve was unwavering. Tyler wasn’t just another child in trouble—he was family now. And no force in the world would break that bond.

SEE MORE: Shaquille O’Neal Explains How He Maintains All of His Many ‘Superstar’ Friendships (Exclusive)

“The Diesel knows everybody,” O’Neal quips while discussing his upcoming Super Bowl party in New Orleans

Simone Biles, Taylor Swift and Jimmy Kimmel pose with Shaquille O’Neal on separate occasions. Photo:

Simone Biles/X; Shaquille O’Neal/Instagram; Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty

Celebrities, kids, fans, random people in the toy store — they’ve all got a friend in Shaquille O’Neal.

As O’Neal, 52, gears up for his annual Shaq’s Fun House party during Super Bowl weekend, the retired basketball star — who performs under the name DJ Diesel — tells PEOPLE how he maintains his friendships, particularly his many celebrity friendships.

“The Diesel knows everybody,” says O’Neal, who will perform at his Super Bowl party with by DJ Irie, John Summit and Ludacris, a longtime friend of O’Neal’s, on Friday, Feb. 7 in New Orleans, not far from where O’Neal broke out as a college basketball star at LSU.

The former Laker credits “respect and just being nice” for his extensive social network. “It’s all about honor and respect, so every person I come in contact with, superstar or not, I just try to show as much respect as possible,” says O’Neal.

Shaquille O’Neal, Taylor Swift and Jamie Salter.Shaquille O’Neal/Instagram

“I’ve been friends with Ludacris for over 30 years,” he shares of the rap icon. “Ludacris used to come by my house every time he was in LA unannounced, just to get some of my chef’s cake,” O’Neal tells PEOPLE.

“And John Summit is a good friend of mine and said he’d love to be involved.”

Shaq’s Fun House.Shaq’s Fun House

O’Neal is longtime friends with this year’s halftime performer, Kendrick Lamar, too. “I know Kendrick personally, so I know he’s going to put on a fabulous show.”

O’Neal says he first met Lamar when they “shot a commercial for soap” that was “really funny.”

“I’m not going to tell you what happened in the commercial, but it was an accident and it was so good that we just kept it,” he says of the spot, which actually was not promoting soap, but a 2016 commercial for American Express. It was shot in a soap store, however, so O’Neal wasn’t far off.

And although Lamar’s selection as the halftime performer has been somewhat controversial amid his ongoing feud with Drake — and fans of Lil Wayne arguing that he should perform at the game as it takes place in his hometown — O’Neal trusts that the right choice was made.

“Whoever the halftime performer is, it’s somebody that’s well respected and well liked,” he remarks.

But before the “Not Like Us” rapper lights up the stage at Caesar’s Superdome on Sunday, Feb. 9, O’Neal is excited to kick things off in New Orleans with Shaq’s Fun House.

“Man, I was happy when the Super Bowl was headed to the Big Easy. My party — no doubt, no doubt in my mind — will be the No. 1 party,” he says of the all-inclusive event. “Leave your wallet at home!”

DJ Irie, Flavor Flav. and Shaquille.Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty

“And because I’m the man and I love New Orleans, no matter what kind of tickets you get, all tickets include a six-hour open bar. We want you to drink responsible and have fun.”

Tickets go on sale starting Jan. 17 and start at $199.

O’Neal’s Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies, which he likes to eat just before taking the stage, will be a partner at the event. Additional partners include Carnival Cruise Line, Pepsi, BeatBox Beverages, Anheuser- Busch and Verizon.