Charles Barkley’s dynamic with his fans is no secret. Once asked for an autograph for a fan suffering from a medical condition, the former NBA star rather chose to drive to visit him in person. That was in 1991 and Chuck hasn’t wavered in tending to these bonds. They have come to be personal despite no personal ties and it was evident as he grieved the loss of a life he had never met.

“A young girl who passed away. Evan Tasker Leventall. I hope I get that last name right… I’ve never met this young lady. But she was a Charles Barkley fan and a friend of mine asked me to call her probably four or five years ago and I kept in contact with her, just wishing her the best, and unfortunately she passed away,” Barkley said, expressing his grief.

The former Philadelphia 76ers star further revealed that his deceased fan was close to 30 years of age when she left this world. “I’m sorry for the family. Right before Thanksgiving, it’s just brutal. And she’s such a young lady and everything I had heard about her was amazing… I just want to say rest in peace,” Barkley said. He further extended the departed soul’s family his condolences and stated he was blessed to have her in his life in a capacity.

“I just want to wish them nothing but blessing going forward,” Chuck said. A thoughtful message, for sure, for the family in this tough time. Something that the 11x All-Star has been known for, as a person. The time when he flew all the way to meet a dying fan comes to mind.

At the time, Barkley was at the apex point of his career. But that did not prevent him from making time when he heard about this fan. As per a family member of the now-deceased fan, Barkley was nothing but kind and thoughtful during his visit to his fan then suffering from cancer.

Chuck even gave the fan a basketball and jersey before leaving. For a man who is mostly full of laughs, Barkley is a sensitive and quite an emotional person. And there have been more than one instance when these emotions were on display.

The time when Charles Barkley couldn’t hold back tears while revealing dying wish of ex-Suns broadcaster

The Phoenix Suns have seen it all—new owners, fresh faces on the court, and even revamped arenas. But through 51 of the team’s 56 years, one thing never changed: Al McCoy, the legendary voice of the Suns and the longest-tenured broadcaster in NBA history.

Recently, Charles Barkley opened up about an unforgettable moment involving McCoy that left him in tears. On Arizona Sports, Barkley shared, “I got a call from Eddie Johnson recently, and he said Al McCoy wanted to talk to me before he died.” Imagine that—McCoy, who passed away at 91, had two people on his mind in his final days–Barkley and Devin Booker.

For Barkley, who spent just four years with the Suns, this wasn’t just unexpected—it was profoundly humbling. “It wasn’t a long conversation. He was thanking me. And I’m like, no man, ‘I thank you,'” Barkley recalled. The emotional impact, however, didn’t end there. “When I hung up the phone, I actually had tears in my eyes,” Chuck admitted. Rare and only human to see the man who is mostly laughing in his emotional element.