By Crystal A. Johnson on
Former NBA star “Sir” Charles Barkley recently picked up the tuition for a busboy at a restaurant in Philly.
Yes, the man who once renounced being a role model does have a good heart. Sir Charles told Christian Abate that he would like to pick up the tab of his tuition. Probably shell shocked, Abate did not know how to respond. Barkley told him that he had the length of the meal to decide. Proving he was a smart kid, Abate accepted the offer.
In an interview in the Philadelphia Daily News, Barkley divulged what inspired him to help Abate: “He’s a nice kid,” Barkley said. “He was working with kids, I loved that he wanted to be a teacher, and I wanted to help him.”
The gesture may seem random, but Barkley has given at least $3 million to schools and education in his home state of Alabama.
Copyright © 2008 Look to the Stars