He is known as one of the most intimidating point guards on the basketball court, but off the court, Russell Westbrook is a big softie.
The Oklahoma Thunder player surprised a single mom on Monday with the brand new Kia Sorento that he won after being named the MVP of February’s All-Star game.
The car was donated to 19-year-old Kerstin Gonzales who cried tears of joy, sitting beside her two young boys, after Westbrook handed her the keys.
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“Are they playing a prank on me or something?” Gonzales said of her initial reaction. “wheelWhen he showed me the keys, I was like ‘this is real’. That’s when I started to cry because it’s been such a hard time.”
His Russell Westbrook WhyNot? Foundation reached out to a local social service agency to help him find someone who could benefit the most from the car. Gonzales, who came highly recommended, plans to finish high school this spring and study forensic science in college.
The NBA star has committed to paying Gonzales’ insurance for the first year, registration and any other fees associated with her reward, saying, “Today was a stepping stone in showing her that everything is going to be alright.”
(WATCH the Video from OKC Thunder)