Kristin Minnis and her two adopted teenage sons were having a rough December. Someone had broken into Minnis’ car and stolen all of the Christmas gifts that she was planning to give to her sons and family.
A few days later, on a chilly Tuesday night in Edmond, the Minnis crew and a few other families were being driven around all over the place with seemingly no real destination in mind. First they stopped at a convenience store, then they went and got ice cream, which was nice, but the van full of mothers and children were starting to wonder what was up.
Finally, their leader directed the vehicle to Wal-Mart, under the guise of needing to talk with a friend briefly. The families, including Minnis and her boys, followed reluctantly inside. A few seconds later, they were thrilled that they did because there stood Serge Ibaka, armed with $500 gift cards for each mother to spend on holiday gifts.
“I just broke down crying,” Minnis said. “I’m just full of joy, heart felt joy and genuine love from the community.”
As a part of his foundation, Serge Ibaka teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club to provide the special surprised for a handful of single mothers who send their children to the after-school safe space. A. Jaye Johnson, the Community Relations & Facilities Director of the Boys & Girls Club, was the man who was directing the wild goose chase to meet up with Ibaka, but also the one who selected the families.
The first person who came to mind was Minnis, who had just experienced such terrible misfortune at the hands of another. It was the perfect opportunity to have her and her boys immediately receive generosity by a stranger to balance the scales.
“Instantly in my mind, that’s someone who deserves this,” Johnson said.
Needless to say, the two vastly different experiences made Minnis run the gamut of emotions.
“When the robbery happened, I was mad, but I was like, ‘somebody needed it more than I did and my kids did’,” Minnis explained. “The biggest thing is that even when something bad happens, you keep the faith. We have to keep fighting and keep pushing. There are still wonderful people in the world.”
Ibaka strolled through the Wal-Mart with the mothers and children, helping them pick out toys, electronics and some essential items. The kids were beside themselves with joy, and the mothers were beaming at the sight of Ibaka stepping in to make sure this holiday season would be an unforgettable one.
“It’s the Christmas season and I’ve been there. I’ve been in this position before,” Ibaka reflected. “I know that some people struggle around Christmas.”
“It’s something I love to do,” Ibaka continued. “It reminds me of where I came from.”
Minnis and the other mothers were left with a wonderful impression of Ibaka, not just because of his generosity, but because of the way he treated them during the shopping spree. Through his affiliation with Pros for Africa, his philanthropic trips to Africa and events like this one, Ibaka has repeatedly shown over the years that he is committed to enriching the lives of those who are less fortunate.
“He’s down to earth. Nothing fazed him. He was a normal guy walking through Wal-Mart, shopping with the kids,” Minnis said. “He was playing with the toys, joking with the kids and joking with the parents. He’s amazing.”
“He’s a great ambassador. Not only for the Thunder and our city, but for our country and his own country,” Johnson said of Ibaka. “What he’s doing around the world, trying to help make the world a better place, it’s not just about Christmas. He does this year round.”