“Woman Crying in Drawing Room”: Shaquille O’Neal, who paid Shaunie just $50,000 in child support, once saved a stranger from eviction

Shaquille O’Neal and Shaunie’s relationship was fraught with troubles. The two married in 2002. Unfortunately for Shaunie, the 7’1″ center was at the peak of his popularity. In his own admission, O’Neal claimed how difficult it was to stay loyal knowing that so many women wanted you.

The Los Angeles Lakers icon dominated a city teeming with celebrities, earning millions of dollars each season. Of course he was in demand. But he betrayed Shaunie by sleeping with other women. The final divorce in 2011 ended their marriage.

Surprisingly, Shaquille O’Neal only paid his ex-wife $50,000 in child support. But he did his best to help a stranger in need.

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Shaquille O’Neal saved a woman from eviction

In his critically acclaimed book, Three-Ring Circus, author Jeff Pearlman wrote about the time Shaq began working with a trainer named Cory Gilday.

Gilday was set to work with the Lakers superstar as part of an endorsement deal with Anytime Fitness. According to Gilday, the Lakers superstar was generous beyond measure. He revealed how Shaq once helped a salon worker pay her rent.

Pearlman wrote of the incident in his book:

“As part of an endorsement deal with 24 Hour Fitness, he was assigned an off-season personal trainer named Cory Gilday, a 25-year-old Canadian who relocated to Orlando from Portland, Oregon to work specifically with the Lakers. Gilday loved O’Neal more than anyone he had ever helped – “I mean, the gym we worked at was next door to a tanning salon,” he recalled. “One day the woman at the reception in the salon cried. He asked her what was going on. She was three months behind on her rent and had her eviction papers with her. Shaq immediately made a call and took care of it. That was him.”

Shaunie and O’Neal’s story ended bitterly

Shaq and Shaunie were married for effectively seven years since Shaunie filed for divorce in 2009. This came after they had previously reconciled back in 2007. The divorce was finalized in 2011.

To be fair to Shaq, he’s honest about the whole thing. He has publicly blamed himself for the breakup and apologized to Shaunie. Given the infidelity gone haywire, it’s unlikely Shaunie actually forgave him. But at least she knows he owed him something.

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