Kyrie Irving gives $22,000 to Howard student’s GoFundMe

Kyrie Irving is famous for a lot of things but it’s often the quiet things he does that don’t make the headlines that can make things better: buying a new home for George Floyd’s family in Texas, financing the construction of water filtration plant in an arid quarter of Pakistan or meeting in the belly of NBA arenas with the families of soldiers who have fallen in combat.

Now, there’s a new example: Irving quietly donated $22,000 to a Howard University student who without the contribution wouldn’t have been able to continue her studies. A fellow alum of Howard (which is also the alma mater of Vice-President Kamala Harris) noticed the contribution on GoFundMe and tweeted about it Thursday morning...

“Destiny” is Destiny Thompson, a Howard sophomore from Bridgeton, a Cumberland County town in southern New Jersey. She set up the GoFundMe earlier this week, hoping to raise $6,000 so she can stay in school.

Here’s how she described her situation on GoFundMe...

Hello, my name is Destiny Thompson. I’m a sophomore Civil Engineering major with a Mathematical minor from New Jersey. Through hard work, we attain our dreams and goals in life, which is why I have been working tirelessly since I was 16. As a first-generation student from a family of ten, I have faced many challenges on my journey to higher education. As a first-generation college student, it is not uncommon for me to have self-doubt and lack financial and emotional support.

I can fulfill my education dreams as an undergraduate student at Howard University. Howard’s family atmosphere, traditional values, academic excellence, and opportunity to learn are something I cherish most about being a student here. A diversity of students with a shared commitment to education has never surrounded me.

Then, Irving dropped the $22,000 donation three days ago. Until then, the civil engineering major hadn’t received a donation larger than $100. Not long after Irving sent her the money, Thompson posted a Facebook video in which she thanked him profusely and emotionally,

“I’m just so happy. I never thought in a million years that anyone would give me anything. I am so very grateful. I want to thank you a thousand times for blessing me like this, Mr. Kyrie Irving. I’m in shock.”

Thompson noted she was at work “wiping registers” at her job at Wal-Mart when she learned the news.

“I’m calm now,” she said with a smile, but admitted the donation had brought her to tears.

“I’m at work, y’all. I don’t understand, like, I can’t really wrap my head around how like generous people can be. I am so thankful for everybody that shared it, everybody that had liked, commented and gave me encouraging words, and just kind of helped me keep going and essentially.

A spokesman for the Nets said he was unaware of the gift. No word from Irving but the day after he made the donation, he tweeted this out...

• Kyrie Irving quietly donates $22,000 to help Howard University student in need - Brian Lewis - New York Post