Social media connect boy with basketball shoe donor

Social media worked wonders for a boy who had no basketball shoes and a kind heart who wanted to help.

A photo of a boy playing basketball in what looked like his black school shoes went viral on Facebook, tugging at the heart of a netizen who went out of his way to look for the boy and donate the proper foot gear for the sport.

Netizen Lyndon Miclat, told inquirer.net that he saw the boy’s photo shared by a basketball-themed FB page, posted and taken on July 7, with a caption in Filipino: “It’s not your shoes, it’s your game.”

The search for the boy wasn’t easy because the photo showed his back against the camera.

https://www.facebook.com/JellyfamBasketball/photos/a.249509205729109/347881932558502/?type=3&permPage=1

After seeing this, Miclat decided to ask for netizens’ help so he can give a new pair of basketball shoes to the boy.

https://www.facebook.com/lyndon.miclat/posts/2452110741476713

Miclat successfully found the boy, named Melvin Gascon, through FB and was able to contact him. When Miclat asked why Gascon was wearing what looked like school shoes during a basketball game, the boy just said that he doesn’t have one and his parents can’t afford to buy it for him.

https://www.facebook.com/lyndon.miclat/posts/2454362937918160

Without thinking twice, Miclat bought new basketball shoes and sent them to Gascon’s address.

On July 10, though they weren’t able to meet personally, the boy sent him his photo wearing the shoes and his basketball uniform. “Thank you big brother, I’m overjoyed,” said the boy in Filipino.

Miclat said when he saw the photo of the boy wearing the shoes he gave, he was overwhelmed.

“I was so happy when he received the shoes especially when I saw him wearing it,” he said also in Filipino.

Their story went viral online garnering more than 30,000 reactions, and 25,000 shares on FB. /tsb