June 27, 2025
Irving’s contribution helps to get fundraiser over $85,000
A fundraiser was started by the mother of police shooting victim Tamir Rice, for the celebration of what would have been his 23rd birthday, and Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving has donated $50,000 toward the cause.
Tamir Rice was only 12 years old when Ohio police officer Timothy Loehmann killed him at a recreation center park area on Nov. 22, 2014. The boy was unarmed but had a toy gun when Loehmann shot him. Samaria Rice, the victim’s mother, recently posted a fundraiser on GoFundMe to raise money for her nonprofit organization, the Tamir Rice Foundation. This year, Tamir would have been 23 years old if the tragedy had not taken place. Samaria is raising funds and asking people to donate $23 to represent how old Tamir would have been.
The funds will be used to give back to Cleveland youth through a building she purchased to support inner-city children.
“I miss my son so much each and every day. As our family approaches Tamir’s 23rd birthday. I’m asking for 23 dollars for 23 years without him. I purchased a building in the city of Cleveland to give back to our inner city youth with art and cultural developments.”
The goal is to raise $110,000.
The fundraiser was started on June 9 and has raised over $85,000. The campaign got a boost with a $50,000 donation from Irving, who is known for donating funds to many causes, and he came through again on June 25. He joined over 1,180 people who are helping to make Samaria’s vision a reality.
The New Jersey-raised NBA player just recently reportedly opted out of his contract with the Mavericks so he can ink a three-year $119 million contract extension to stay with the team until the 2027-28 season. He helped lead the Mavericks to the NBA championship last season, but the team lost to the Boston Celtics. Irving is currently nursing an ACL injury suffered during the last NBA season and is expected to miss the start of the upcoming season.
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