The last two years have been a wild ride for New Orleans rapper Lil’ Wayne.
The eccentric musical genius, born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr, closed out his wildly successful “I Am Music” tour, released a rock album entitled “Rebirth,” was featured on 60 minutes, found himself being name dropped in speeches by President Barack Obama, served an 8-month prison sentence on weapons charges and recently collaborated with fellow rap superstar Eminem to perform music duties on Saturday Night Live.
This holiday season, the musical savant took time away from his always hectic schedule to give a special gift to the mother of one of his fans: the gift of mobility.
While being held in Rikers Island on weapons charges from 2007, Lil’ Wayne sought a way to stay connected with his fans. WeezyThanxYou.com was born, a blog that kept fans updated on the rapper’s thoughts during his incarceration.
The website also gave fans an opportunity to send letters to the Grammy award winning star, sending him well wishes and support, and the rapper quickly found himself awed by his fans.
“I laughed with some of you, reasoned with some of you, and even cried with some of you,” he wrote. “I never imagined how much impact my words and life can have.”
One particular fan, Ronda Austin, stood out amongst the many. Every week during his 8-month stint (which was cut down from a year due to good behavior) a letter came from Ronda letting Lil’ Wayne know that he had the support and well wishes from all of his fans, and that his music changed her life.
The rapper was so overwhelmed that upon his release he surprised Ms. Austin with a phone call to thank her. During the phone call, he also surprised Ronda by telling her he had a gift for her mother.
“I couldn’t believe it. I never asked for nothing,” Ronda told the NY Daily News. “I just told him all kinds of different things about me. I never even said I needed help.”
Evelyn Austin, Ronda’s mother, is a 64-year-old disabled former nurse who has been confined to a wheelchair for over 15 years. Two years ago while leaving church, Mrs. Austin fell and her wheelchair was damaged. Lacking the financial resources for another chair, Evelyn found herself bed-bound for nearly two years.
Ronda shared her story with Lil’ Wayne in her letters to the rapper, and they did not fall on deaf ears; he decided that the best way to thank his fan would be a special gift for her mother: an $11,000 motorized wheelchair that would allow her the freedom to finally leave the confines of her home.
Though Lil’ Wayne would not comment on his gift to the Austin family, Nina Packer, who heads Lil’ Wayne’s charitable foundation, stated, “It was something that he was compelled to do. He wanted to buy Mrs. Austin the Maybach of wheelchairs.”
Mrs. Austin herself had some kind words for the rapper. “I pray for him every night thanking him for this chair. I love every bit of it. It changed my life.”
It’s clear to all of us here at Positively Celebrity that Lil’ Wayne is doing his best to follow through on his promise that was made upon his release from Rikers Island: “I will be the same Martian I was when I left, just better,” the rapper posted.
We wish him the best of luck on his future projects, and wish him strength on his journey to stay clean and on the straight and narrow!
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weezy f baby the mug fuckin carter