Shaquille O’Neal has never shied away from using his fame and fortune to change lives, and his latest act of generosity proves why he remains one of the most beloved athletes off the court. The NBA Hall of Famer recently gifted 18-year-old wrestler Tamara Humphries from Pittsburgh a brand-new 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander after learning about her struggles to get to practices and tournaments.
Humphries, nicknamed “The Firefly,” is a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and one of the most promising female wrestlers to come out of the region. Despite her talent and relentless work ethic, she faced a simple but devastating hurdle, she had no reliable transportation.
That meant missing practices, skipping tournaments, and spending hundreds of dollars on rides just to keep her athletic dream alive.
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Her story, which she often shared on social media, caught the attention of O’Neal, who has built a reputation for surprising strangers with random acts of kindness. After seeing her posts, Shaq slid into her Instagram DMs with a casual message offering help. Humphries initially thought it was a prank until O’Neal FaceTimed her family to prove it was real.
From there, O’Neal decided to take action. At Palm Palm, the East Liberty restaurant where Humphries had spent her summer working and saving money to one day buy her first car, Shaq showed up with the keys to a shiny new Outlander. The SUV is known for its reliability and space, perfect for a student-athlete juggling classes, practices, and competitions.
The moment was surreal for Humphries, who admitted she had “never had a car, ever.” On Instagram, she thanked O’Neal for solving a problem that had been weighing on her.
“After struggling to get to practice, not making tournaments due to the distance, Ubers and Lyfts back and forth from college, I was blessed with a Mitsubishi Outlander 2025 from the one and only SHAQUILLE O’NEAL.”
“Shaq with the help of the amazing effortless_motors crew at palmpalmpgh . Thank you God, thank you family, and most importantly thank YOU for believing in me. I couldn’t do anything without the love support you all drown me in.”
“I will not let you down if you continue to trust me. God is good We made it everyone, and it’s only the beginning.”
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For Humphries, who started wrestling at Brashear High School, the journey hasn’t been easy. She once went 5–15, competing mostly against boys, but refused to quit. Her persistence eventually earned her a scholarship, and now, thanks to Shaq, the reliable transportation she desperately needed
The gesture fits seamlessly into O’Neal’s long list of philanthropic efforts. O’Neal also recently offered a shoe deal to a 6-year-old athlete who impressed him with her athletic skills. O’Neal’s act of kindness is hardly surprising for those who know him.
Over the years, he has donated sneakers, furniture, and even paid off strangers’ bills without fanfare. Stories of Shaq’s generosity, whether buying laptops for kids, or giving waiters thousands of dollars, have become almost as legendary as his dominance in the paint.
For Humphries, the gift is more than a car, it’s a reminder that her hard work has not gone unnoticed and that her dreams of making an impact in wrestling, and perhaps one day on the Olympic stage, are very much alive.
Once again, Shaq proved that sometimes the biggest wins in sports happen far away from the court.
