Metro Detroit resident Brenda Craig had tears in her eyes when she received the surprise news at the holiday party at Michigan First Credit Union’s headquarters on Wednesday evening.
Select families were invited out to the office space’s private bowling alley in Lathrup Village for a holiday get together when Detroit Pistons center Marvin Bagley III made a surprise announcement that him and his teammate Alec Burks will pay off the families’ loans.
“I was totally shocked,” Craig said. “I've had a few rough years, but God has been good to me, and this is just more proof.”
“Just last week I came in and qualified for a loan.”
After the announcement, each family in attendance had the opportunity to take a picture with Bagley, bowl with family, enjoy pizza and refreshments. There was also a raffle opportunity featuring prizes like a 55-inch TV and a Brissell vacuum cleaner.
Bagley said he wanted to find a way to give back to the community during the holiday season which can be a financially stressful time.
“I was sitting at home a little before Thanksgiving just trying to figure out different ways I could help and this was what we came up with,” Bagley explained after the announcement.
“It’s a blessing to be able to be able to do this, to help people, see the smiles on their faces and to see how happy they are.”
Bagley and Burks will pay off more than $80,000 in personal loans in partnership with MFCU. The giveback initiative that is part of the Pistons’ annual Season of Giving will forgive the loans of 18 families.
A commitment to giving back
To kick-off the holiday giveback events, earlier this winter the Pistons hosted a drive-thru food giveaway to 800 Detroit-area families. In addition to the Season of Giving presented by Kroger, Pistons players Jalen Duren, Kevin Knox and Isaiah Livers visited an Oak Park Kroger to surprise patrons by purchasing their groceries for the holiday season.
Ashley Fitzpatrick, a mother of three children – Ashlyn, Clifford and DeAngelo - was part of one of the selected families for the holiday giveback shopping spree. The family was partnered with Knox who shopped with the group, helped select out presents and food for the holiday season.
"My son had a lot of sweets thrown in there (the grocery cart) and my daughter got crab legs,” Fitzpatrick said. “Kevin said no limit, so we kept putting the snacks in and we got a whole cake too.”
After the shopping spree, the trio as well as Pistons mascot Hooper, surprised patrons by passing out gift cards to help pay for the items in their cart as well as $1,000 Kroger gift cards for the preselected families to use during the new year. Each player made a financial contribution to spread the holiday cheer.
“We’ve been through some hardships, and they saw we needed a break,” Fitzpatrick said. “Kevin saw that we needed some smiles on our faces.”
For Knox, who bagged groceries in the familiar blue Kroger apron last year, said the outreach event has only grown.
“Last year I walked around, gave out gift cards, and acted as a cashier and this year I had a family that was two boys and a girl,” Knox explained. “They reminded me of my family a little bit and so it was fun just walking around the store, chopping it up with them and just making sure that they get what they need.”
Pistons Monte Morris and Jaden Ivey also had holiday surprises; both hosted special holiday experiences in hospitals in Flint and the Detroit area. Flint native, Morris, hosted his annual “Big Game Tae Xmas Event” at Hurley Hospital in his hometown where he surprised children staying in the hospital over the holiday season with toys and “Design My Room” treat to the patients.
“It’s the holiday spirit,” Livers said. “I think it's important for everybody to embrace that, it's a good time to get out and give back to your community.”
“Seeing the little kids smile, I don’t think any other feeling can beat that.”