LeBron James put a smile on kids’ faces when he surprised students at his I Promise School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Laker shared video and photos of his visit, sending love to all the children whom he spent time with right before the end of the school year.
“Appreciate y’all letting me crash your last day of school @ipromiseschool!! 🙏🏾,” the 37-year-old athlete wrote on Instagram alongside a slideshow of his time with the student at the school. “Love you all and have a fun and safe Summer.”
The basketball star added, “Don’t forget what we talked about. 😉 #WeAreFamily.”
In video shared on Twitter by the I Promise School, kids scream with excitement when they see James walk into their classroom.
“That is LeBron James!” one boy is heard yelling.
Another video shared by the LeBron James Family Foundation's official Twitter shows students hugging him, standing next to him and filming themselves meeting the sports icon. One young girl is also in tears as she gives him a hug.
“Take a picture with him!” one kid is heard telling his friend in the clip.
“Love my kids soooooooo much!!!!” James wrote alongside the video.
The I Promise school opened its door in July 2018. The school’s program “serves more than 1,400 Akron-area students by providing them with the programs, support, and mentors they need to succeed in school and beyond,” according to the LeBron James Family Foundations’ website.
The I Promise School also provides students with free meals, uniforms, bicycles and helmets, as well as guaranteed tuition to the University of Akron for every student that graduates and completes criteria.
TODAY’s Willie Geist was with James when he announced the college scholarships.
“At this rate, we’ve got 1,100 kids in our program, and if I can put 1,100 kids into college free, that means I’ll have done something,” he said in 2015.
James, who didn’t go to college, began his basketball career right after high school as a Cleveland Cavalier, playing with his home state team from 2003 to 2010 and from 2014 to 2018. He was also a Miami Heat player from 2010 to 2014 and joined the Lakers in 2018.
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