At the credit union’s holiday celebration recently, Detroit Pistons guard Alec Burks and forward Marvin Bagley III, along with Michigan First Credit Union, surprised eighteen local families with a holiday gift.
Sports Illustrated reports that Bagley shocked the victims of his kindness by telling them that he and Burks, who was unable to attend, would be paying off their debts, which amounted to more than $80,000. Bagley and the recipients first went bowling together.
The revelation left the attendees in shock. Bagley said, “On behalf of myself and my teammate who couldn’t be here, Alec Burks, we got a special surprise for y’all.”
Showing the giant check, he added, “We’re gonna be paying off one of your guys’ loans, and I just want to say, meeting you guys is a special moment for me to have a position to do this. I just wanna say Merry Christmas.”
One of the recipients, Brenda Craig, expressed her joy at the gift. “I was totally shocked. I’ve had a few rough years, but God has been good to me, and this is just more proof,” Craig said, according to NBA.com.
Along with the check, there was a raffle where participants could win a vacuum cleaner and a 55-inch TV.
Bagley old NBA.com, “It’s a blessing to be able to do this, to help people, see the smiles on their faces and to see how happy they are. 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.”