Shaquille O’Neal’s sister dies from cancer aged 40
Shaquille O’Neal’s colleagues have shared emotional messages during a live broadcast after the NBA legend’s sister died of cancer aged 40.
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There’s been an outpouring of emotion as NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal mourns the loss of his sister, who died from cancer aged 40 today.
O’Neal didn’t front up for his usual TV commitments after Ayesha Harrison-Jex, one of his two sisters, lost her battle against the disease which she has been fighting for the past three years.
O’Neal successfully transitioned into a media career after retirement, becoming one of the most prominent voices in basketball and his TNT colleagues at Inside the NBA paid their condolences to his entire family in the wake of the devastating news.
“Basically the big fella, who I’ve described as the biggest kid in the world, his heart is breaking,” host Ernie Johnson said during a live broadcast.
“He said his world revolves around his brother and two sisters and he lost one of his sisters this morning far too early at the age of 40, from cancer.
“Trying to put into words the way Shaquille has reacted to this and he’s struggling. And when he struggles we struggle with him because he’s one of our brothers and we feel for him tonight.
“Hearts are breaking in Shaq’s family and in our family as well.”
Philadelphia, Phoenix and Houston icon Charles Barkley passed on an emotional message to O’Neal’s mother, who was good friends with his own mum, and Kenny Smith opened up on why O’Neal’s tragedy has rocked everyone else.
“Shaq has a lot of nicknames: The Big Aristotle, Superman — but he’s also the big family guy,” Smith said. “We always see his kids, his family always around.
“One of the most difficult things about being close to someone and working with them this many years is you get to know them and their family and their friends so you hurt so much more.
“You have the pain just as much as you have the joy.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also sent his condolences to the O’Neal family.
“We always talk about the NBA as a family and it’s times like this when we’re all together (where you really understand that),” Silver said.
“We’ve all known Shaq’s mum Lucille since he came into the league and I’ve met his sister many times so from everyone at the league, but from me personally, my condolences to Shaq, to his family and I know all of you are hurting because you’re all so close to each other.”
Johnson signed off by saying: “Big fella, you hang in there.”
"Big Fella, you hang in there."
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 24, 2019
Ernie, Kenny, Charles & Commissioner Silver's thoughts are with the O’Neal family pic.twitter.com/5yUtdhjWkZ
sending love to @shaq and his family.
— drew olanoff (@yoda) October 24, 2019
Praying for you @SHAQ ðŸ™ðŸ¾ðŸ™ðŸ¾ðŸ™ðŸ¾
— Chris Baker (@cbakerswaggy) October 24, 2019
Originally published as Shaquille O’Neal’s sister dies from cancer aged 40