Moms really are superheroes, aren’t they? Just as the O’Neal family had begun to regain their footing after the sudden death of Sgt. Phillip Harrison, they were struck by an even darker hour. Making peace with the tragic passing of their sister, Ayesha O’Neal, was difficult for Shaquille O’Neal and his siblings. The Los Angeles Lakers great and his sister recalled how their mother, who set aside her own grief, helped her children weather the storm after losing Ayesha.

“We were a mess,” O’Neal’s step-sister Lateefah recalled, describing how the family struggled after the loss of both their father and sister. Speaking to Sonya Curry on the Raising Fame podcast, Shaq detailed how he realized his mother was truly extraordinary when she tended to her children after her daughter passed away.

“I knew my mom was super special when my sister passed away, and she’s more concerned about us than I was concerned about her,” O’Neal stated. He further revealed that it pained him to see his mother prioritize caring for her family over mourning her daughter.

“That’s our sister, but that’s her daughter. But she cried for a couple seconds and then she see us crying and she got right back to it. Like, ‘Mommy, I’m the man of the house. You go ahead and cry,'” O’Neal said on the podcast.

Ayesha had battled cancer for years, having been diagnosed during her college years. Despite her illness, she persevered to earn both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She eventually succumbed to the cancer and passed away in October 2019. This heartbreak followed Shaq’s father passing away in 2013. It was a challenging period for O’Neal after his stepdad passed away.

Everything that the Big Aristotle is today, O’Neal attributes to his stepdad, Mr. Harrison. He was heartbroken after his father’s passing in 2013.

Shaquille O’Neal praised his stepfather 

O’Neal was just a toddler when Harrison married Lucille O’Neal. They had two daughters, Ayesha and Lateefah, and later, they also shared a son. While Shaq’s biological father wasn’t present, it was Harrison who instilled in him the discipline and values that made O’Neal the great man he is today.

“The term ‘stepfather’ I don’t really use. I use father. He’s the guy who made me who I am… I’m in a big old house because of that man., I’m still relevant five years after playing [basketball] because of that man. I’m responsible because of that man. … I owe everything to him and him only,” O’Neal said.

Due to Mr. Harrison’s job, the family relocated to Germany. This was the beginning of the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s love for basketball, a passion that was further fueled by his stepfather. Mr. Harrison taught him the basics of the sport and guided him along the way.

Both of Shaq’s parents were deeply concerned about his education, but they were also strong supporters of his basketball aspirations. From encouraging him to play when he wasn’t yet skilled at the sport to taking him to a Knicks game, his parents played an instrumental role in shaping his life.

When he lost his support system, Phillip Harrison, O’Neal couldn’t stop crying. As Lateefah and O’Neal explained, it was their mother, Lucille O’Neal, who kept the family afloat during these difficult times.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.