Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo displayed his philanthropic side on Wednesday by giving a single mother of two sets of twins in Miami a whole year’s worth of rent to avoid eviction from her home for the next year.
“It’s gotta be No. 1,” Adebayo told Complex exclusively. “Just helping somebody like that, in that situation, and all the negative situations that’s happened to her the last couple of months, that’s definitely top of my list.”
Travillia Bogan’s financial situation has been negatively affected over the past two years because of the effects of an auto accident.
In addition to paying Bogan’s rent, Adebayo will also use the money that he’s donating to improve both the landscaping as well as the decor inside the home
Adebayo says the mother conveyed her happiness not through words, but through sheer tears of joy.
“You could feel it through tears of joy,” says Adebayo. “There was no conversation. It was pure joy for her and her family. They’re not getting evicted for Christmas.”
Within the past few months, Adebayo’s own financial situation has improved to the point that he was able to offer such generous help. He recently signed a five-year contract extension worth up to an estimated $195 million.
Adebayo presumably isn’t done with his philanthropy in the years ahead, which makes his gestures almost as exciting to watch as his play on the court.
“Through all this philanthropy that I’m doing, I hope that I spark one kid to change his decision-making, his lifestyle, or who he’s hanging with,” says Adebayo. “To go from being in the streets and me doing something special for them that can shift their whole mindset. That’s all I can ask for.”