Russell Westbrook, point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, donated the Kia SUV he was awarded after being named MVP of the 2015 All-Star Game to a single mother this week.
NBA.com reported that 19-year old Kerstin Gonzalez and her two sons — 4-year-old Matthew and 2-year-old Adam — stopped by Sunbeam Family Services, an Oklahoma City-based social services organization, for a regular appointment on Monday. Gonzalez's car had been on the fritz, and she was constantly having to borrow cars from friends and family to get around to appointments.
Figuring the Kia could be a great help to someone in need, Westbrook contacted Sunbeam, and they said Gonzalez was the perfect candidate for the donation.
Westbrook surprised Gonzalez with the keys when she came in, and she soon cried tears of joy.
"Are they playing a prank on me or something?" Gonzalez said, explaining her initial reaction. "When he showed me the keys, I was like 'this is real.' That’s when I started to cry because it’s been such a hard time."
Westbrook said the experience was a positive one for everybody involved.
"There were definitely tears of joy and I could tell some tears of hard work and all the different things she’s been through in her life. Today was a stepping stone in showing her that everything is going to be alright," he said.
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