Shaquille O’Neal, shaq, Georgia, Sheriff's Office, Teen, VIO, Tip
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton
March 6, 2026
Dream On 3, along with Shaq and the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, hooked the teen up who is paralyzed from the neck down after a car accident
The Henry County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Community Relations, Shaquille O’Neal, brought joy to Brandon Simmons, who became a paraplegic after a devastating car accident, when the NBA Hall of Famer surprised him by announcing he was spending several days in Minnesota for a VIP Experience.
The sheriff’s office Facebook account posted photographs of O’Neal, along with Sheriff Reginald B. Scandrett, with many well-wishers and supporters presenting the teenager with the package that took him to Minneapolis to attend an NBA game featuring the Minnesota Timberwolves. The trip was arranged by Dream On 3 ( a non-profit that makes “sports-themed ‘dreams’ come true for kids and young adults, ages 5-21, who are living with life-altering conditions, including those with mental health challenges and intellectual disabilities), the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, and O’Neal.
The Timberwolves were chosen since Anthony Edwards is Simmons’ favorite player.
“Today was a special day in Henry County!”
“It was truly special spending time with Brandon and meeting his incredible family, friends, and wonderful people who made this day happen. Seeing the joy on his face as the surprise unfolded was a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the impact of a community that shows up for one another.”
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the former Orlando Magic player and the sheriff showed up at the home of Simmons March 4 to surprise him with the news that he would be going to the City of Lakes to see his favorite player in person. The trip was scheduled from March 4 to March 6. He was presented with tickets for courtside seats to the Timberwolves/Toronto Raptors basketball game. At the game, he would have exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the arena, as well as a personal meeting with Edwards and a formal VIP welcome from the City of Minneapolis.
Simmons, who is 18-years-old, was paralyzed from the chest down after being involved in a car accident. Initially, doctors only gave him a one percent chance of surviving the injuries from the crash.
After being surprised, Simmons said he was left speechless.
“Speechless. I don’t even know what to say,” Simmons said. “You would never expect something like that, and I’m just very grateful that could be me.”
O’Neal added, “Brandon is the definition of toughness. Life threw something at him that most people would never imagine facing, and he keeps fighting with heart.”
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