12-year-old Spencer Joyner, a seventh-grader at The Patrick School, was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri last November. This medical condition occurs when pressure inside the skull increases for no obvious reason. Symptoms usually mimic that of a brain tumor including; headache behind the eyes, ringing in the ears in time with the heartbeat, and brief episodes of blindness. At times Joyner struggles to do simple things like walk, draw or play his favorite sport — basketball. The condition kept Joyner in the hospital for more than a week and prevents him from attending school for the time being.
A superstar from an early age, Kyrie Irving attended St. Patrick’s High School before it became The Patrick School. When he got wind of Spencer Joyner’s story, he couldn’t help but offer some assistance. Without ever meeting the young student, Kyrie Irving paid Joyner’s tuition for the school year, worth $11,000.
“It made me feel really good and lucky to have one of my favorite players do that,” Spencer said.
It didn’t stop there, however. Spencer’s father, Mel Joyner, says one of the family’s medical bills for $1,200 “disappeared somehow,” and he suspects Irving may have paid for that, too.“That mysteriously disappeared,” Mel said. “We were putting two and two together and said, ‘Maybe it’s [Irving].”
This wouldn’t be the first time Kyrie Irving has given back to his former school. He contributes financially to keep the school, donates athletic clothing and gear to the basketball team and also paid for the funeral last year of 14-year-old student Nixon Geraldo, who died last October.
We love to hear about Ballers giving back. Huge props to Kyrie Irving!
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