Shaq Changes Lives with Heartfelt Visit to a Texas Family of 11

Shaquille O’Neal isn’t just a basketball legend—he’s also a legend in generosity. Recently, he surprised a Texas family of 11, known online as The Collins Kids, with a series of incredible acts of kindness that touched hearts across the nation.

It started with a simple dinner at Babe’s Chicken. But for Shaq, who’s made it his mission to do one good deed every time he leaves the house, that was just the beginning.

After the meal, Shaq surprised the family with a brand-new 15-passenger van, replacing their old one with unreliable air conditioning—a life-changing gift for mom Carissa, dad Mandla, and their 9 (soon-to-be 10) children. Mandla, a former Harlem Globetrotter and current Mercedes-Benz manager, was later gifted a brand-new truck to replace his old one without heat or A/C.

Shaq didn’t stop there. He took the family to the Rainforest Café, where he paid for other diners’ meals—including visiting missionaries—and left a $1,000 tip for a waitress whose car had just broken down.

Even more touching than the gifts was the time Shaq spent with the family: playing games, offering encouragement, and forming a genuine bond. Their connection began on Instagram, where Shaq had messaged Carissa months earlier and offered to be the kids’ “Uncle Shaq.”

Carissa, who grew up watching Shaq play, called the visit “surreal.” She said the love, time, and positivity Shaq brought were the greatest gifts of all.