Read Excerpt: 'Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go'
Shaquille O'Neal's mother, Lucille O'Neal, pens a memoir about her life.
March 29, 2010 — -- In her new book, Shaquille O'Neal's mother, Lucille O'Neal, discusses her personal struggles and victories as she worked to raise a son who would later become one of professional basketball's biggest stars.
Check out an excerpt of the book below, then head to the "GMA" Library for other great reads.
One of the funniest things I ever did happened when I began helping Shaquille furnish his first home in Orlando. As mothers, we don't always have the chance to do that with our children once they become adults, so I was very excited.
Oftentimes when my son moved to a new place or city, I'd help set him up in his home. One time I won't forget is when Shaquille arranged for me to have a driver—a limo driver, that is, to get me around for my shopping. On the day that I wanted to shop for the basics for my son's home, like glasses, plates, silverware, and an iron—because he never seemed to think of getting an iron—I asked the driver to escort me to the nearest Kmart in the area. We rolled up with pride in the limo and parked the long, black car on the side of the store. I guess the limo driver was used to just waiting in the car while his patrons did whatever they had to do. But not that day! I told him to grab a cart and take one part of the store while I took the other. I'd pick the glasses and plates, while he could pick the silverware and trash cans. I'm sure that driver had no idea what his day would bring when he woke up that morning, but Kmart is ridiculously big. I needed to make the most of my day!
Along with shopping for Shaquille's house, I also organized and arranged our move from Texas to Florida, which involved enrolling the children in new schools and helping them get adapted to their different and much improved standard of living. To add to my joy, Shaquille gifted me with my first car in my own name. Who'd have thought I'd be in my mid-thirties before I'd own a car?
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