Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has announced he’ll be covering the funeral expenses of 12-year-old Jada West, who died on March 8 after a fight at a school bus stop in Georgia earlier in the month. West’s passing sent shockwaves across the United States, and O’Neal, who is serving as chief of community relations for the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, wants to help her family.
“This story touched my heart the moment I saw it in the media,” O’Neal said, via ABC7 Los Angeles. “As a father, my heart goes out to Jada’s family. No parent should ever have to bury their child, and if there is anything I can do to ease even a small part of that burden, then it is the right thing to do.
“Our community must surround this family with love, support, and compassion during such a painful moment,” O’Neal added.
O’Neal is partnering with Henry County Sheriff Reginald B. Scandrett and Douglas County Sheriff Tim Pounds to assist the West’s.
The fight between West and another student from Mason Creek Middle School broke out in suburban Villa Rica near her home on March 5. Footage released by the family’s attorneys shows the two girls taunting each other, after which a fist fight broke out. West fell on the pavement at one point and might have hit her head then. Onlookers would eventually separate the two, but the damage was done.
West appeared to walk away as the clip ended, but collapsed soon after. Villa Rica police would later respond to a 911 cardiac arrest call a block away.
West’s family says she suffered a severe brain injury in that fight. The sixth-grader was rushed to a hospital, but lost her life three days later.
Quite concerningly, West had reported being bullied prior to the fight on that day. Villa Rica police are investigating the case, and there is no timeline for bringing charges at this point.
