Shaquille O’Neal Covers Funeral Costs for Four Sisters Killed in North Carolina House Fire

NBA Hall of Famer and philanthropist Shaq has stepped in to pay for the funeral and related expenses of four young sisters who died in a house fire on August 30 in Chadbourn, North Carolina.

The girls, ages 2, 4, 6, and 7, were inside the home with their father, Patrick Ellis, and their 11-year-old sister when the blaze broke out. Ellis and the 11-year-old survived. Their mother, Reagan Noelle Powers, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and negligent child abuse.

She was arrested and initially held on a $400,000 bond before being released after posting bail.

Shaq, who serves as director of Community Relations for the Henry County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia, is coordinating with multiple law-enforcement agencies to support the family financially.

“It touches every one of us parents, neighbors, and human beings,” Shaq said in a video call with Fox 5. “It was not just a gesture of support; it was a moral responsibility. These were innocent lives, full of promise, taken far too soon.”

Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett praised the effort, saying the department’s focus is on standing with the family during an unbearable loss. “The loss the Ellis family has endured is one that shakes us all to our core,” Scandrett said. “Our goal is to remind them they do not walk this journey alone.”

According to the sheriff’s office, O’Neal’s contribution will fully cover the girls’ memorial service, scheduled for September 13. Representatives from the department plan to attend in support of the family and the wider Henry County community.

Residents in Chadbourn and beyond have rallied around the Ellis family, sharing prayers, meals, and messages of solidarity. For O’Neal, the gesture follows a pattern of private, targeted aid. In 2019, he helped cover funeral expenses for 9-year-old Jazmine Barnes, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Houston, easing the burden on her family as they grieved.

As the investigation into the fire continues, community members say their focus remains on honoring the four sisters’ memories and ensuring the family has the resources they need in the days ahead.