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He was the guy who played Birdie in the film Above the Rim. He was the celebrity who was often spotted wearing Grant Hill Fila sneakers and Duke jerseys. He was the man whose voice was featured in a Derrick Rose commercial. He was the artist who sang “California Love”. He was the late rapper you might have spotted at a Celtic’s game long ago. And yes, he is a man worth-remembering. His name is Tupac Shakur.
Although he is considered one of the most influential rappers in history, he is also noted for his generosity like granting his fans’ wishes, and one unforgettable story is that of a kid named Joshua.
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In 1993, Tupac received a letter from the parents of a terminally ill boy from Maryland named Joshua. They said their son’s dying wish was to meet the celebrity.
In an effort to communicate with the rap star, Joshua’s mother immediately called a radio station. Surprisingly, Tupac didn’t just call back. He arrived by jet within a couple of hours in the family’s residence. However, their meeting was private. With the help of a radio station, their meeting was set up, but there were no cameras for television or radio broadcast.
Tupac spent about 30 to 40 minutes with the boy. He held his hand, chatted with him, and exchanged sentiments with him. Mrs. Torres recalled, “Joshua was very weak, but he smiled for him and quoted some of his lyrics.” Sad to say, within two hours after he left, the boy died.
Sgt. Habdul-Hakim Torres, Joshua’s father, also said, “When I told him Josh passed away, he was like, ‘Aw, man.’ He was pretty emotional. I was really shocked that he stopped what he was doing, got in the jet, and came down here to visit my son. Just like that, Bang! It happened.”
“No one can ever know the other side of Tupac. He sat with my son at his bed and cried for 45 minutes,” he continued.
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Perhaps, Joshua’s death has had an effect on Tupac. He instantly renamed his publishing company’s name from Ghetto Gospel Music to Joshua’s Dream. He also started another community inspired by the boy, which he called Euphanasia, which provided at-risk children with different resources like movie projects and sports gears.
When Tupac died in 1996, all the rights of his unreleased music were acquired by his mother. Although his career as a musician was short-lived, it seems that he has made a significant impact in the lives of those who needed him. Now he is considered an icon, not only because of his contributions in the music industry, but also because of his kind deeds.
