?If I Get in the Car..I’m a Dead Man?: Avoiding a Lethal Incident at Age 13, Shaquille O?Neal Credits His Father for a Major Lesson on Alcohol

“I never told anybody that story“, said Shaq, as he remembered. Shaquille O’Neal bared it all in his new HBO docu-series titled, ‘Shaq‘. He shared his honest opinions on life, love, and basketball. However, he claims there is something he didn’t reveal in his docu-series. He revealed the anecdote in his interaction with Esquire.

“I always say, ‘Don’t drink beer‘”, said the NBA champion. Shaq recalled an incident in West Germany where his friend was drinking and driving. He invited a 13-year-old Shaq to get in the car with him.

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“If I get in the car and start drinking with the boys and my dad finds out, I am a dead man“, Shaq thought. So he passed up the offer, and it saved his life.

Unfortunately, everyone in the car died because the car ran into a pole.

He credited his dad for instilling that mindset from a young age. According to Shaq, he developed critical thinking and leadership skills because of his dad.

After the tragic incident, Shaquille O’Neal admitted that he promised himself, “Never again. Its’ leadership time from this day on“.

The incident that shaped Shaquille O’Neal

He was raised by his stepfather, Phillip Harrison who was an army Sargeant. He was a major influence on Shaquille O’Neal. He also demanded and threatened his stepson to not indulge in drugs.

Shaq also revealed that his father had caught him sipping beer with his cousins prior to this incident. His dad made him drink a 12-pack to teach him a lesson. Shaq told Vanity Fair, “Not only did I get drunk, I hate beer, and I never had the urge to drink again“.

Ironically, he owns a vodka business, even though his alcohol use is nearly negligible.

Almost a decade ago, the Big Aristotle went on record to claim how he brought awareness for both drinking and “impaired driving” among youth.

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A cause that moves Shaquille O’Neal. Probably because the same ideas once saved his life.