ROANOKE, Va. – Dozens of Roanoke parents no longer have to worry about what to put under the Christmas tree, thanks to a hometown hero.
Troy Daniels, a Roanoke native who now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, hosted a shopping spree for 100 kids at the Valley View Walmart Saturday morning, in conjunction with his Dream Big Foundation.
This is the first time Daniels and the Dream Big Foundation have hosted a holiday event like this. However, Daniels could not personally make it, as his Lakers played the Miami Heat in Miami the night before.
The people who came say it is a relief to know that the kids who roamed the toy aisles now have what they want for the holidays.
“It’s not going to be a surprise to them because they have to pick out their own gifts, but it’s still a great feeling to see that they’re happy, that they’re content with the things they wanted and they got to get those," said Micaela Ruben, of the Greater Opportunity During Struggle (G.O.D.S) Foundation, which helps lower-income families in the Roanoke Valley.
Daniels graduated from William Fleming High School before starring at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has been in the NBA since 2013, and played for the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Phoenix Suns before signing with the Lakers this year.