Sports hero Shaquille O'Neal

Isn't it fun to have enjoyable, challenging activities? Haven't you ever thought this might be a good way to counter childhood obesity? People become overweight when they eat and don't exercise enough. Just by trying to have fun, you can keep your body healthy. Children, especially, should be taught to eat and live healthy. There are people who want to reduce obesity not only in children. It's a serious issue.

People have been getting concerned about kids who are morbidly obese. These kids usually have more sedentary activities and are less active. Staying healthy can be as easy as grabbing a ball or walking around the neighborhood or even the mall with your friends. Shaquille O'Neal, an all-star basketball player more commonly known by his nickname, Shaq, helps kids and families with unhealthy kids get up and at it and in with the good life.

Photo: Bigmoe797 [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

The 7 foot 1 in., 325 pound NBA basketball player with a US shoe size 23 is definitely as much a hero as he is a star. Given the name Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal when he was born March 6, 1972, Shaq came to be a star athlete in the NBA as well as an actor. If you have seen him on the NBA Dunk and Dancing Contests, you would know that Shaq, (aka "The Deisel" and many other nicknames,) is a fun guy to be around. On December 26 of 2002, O'Neal married Shaunie Nelson. Together they had four children along with a child from each of their previous relationships. They later divorced on Sep. 4 of 2007. The teams he played for are: Orlando Magic, LA Lakers, Miami Heat, and Phoenix Suns. He now plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Shaq has done many things to help society. Of course, he is an entertainer and an athlete, ranking high in goal percentage and recording five music albums along with starring in a few movies, such as "Kazaam". He has also helped with the struggle with child obesity on his ABC reality show: "Shaq's Big Challenge". He has authored two children books such as "Shaq and the Beanstalk and Other Very Tall Tales." He has his own charitable foundation: The Real Model Foundation. On thanksgiving, he serves food to children in local hospitals and on Christmas, he brings gifts. He calls these programs "Shaqsgiving" and calls himself "Shaq-a- Claus" on Christmas. He also frequently visits with the Make a Wish Foundation. Shaq wants to be a sheriff or a Chief of Police when he's done playing and has already trained to be a Miami Beach Reserve Officer when he was traded to Miami. He's even credited with making an arrest! All these good qualities of Shaq make him make him a model hero.

With all the good things he's done, for children and communities, I think Shaq poses as a hero to people worldwide. He has helped children learn how to read, with obesity, and many other things. On top of that, he still has more he wants to do. He promised his mom he would finish his Bachelor's and did so in 2000 [Dec 15]. I would like to model myself after him by being a good person. That's what Shaq is all about.