Resurfaced video shows a young Justin Bieber gifting house to a family who lost their daughter
From a regular Canadian boy to a bona fide hitmaker, Justin Bieber's ascent to success is for the books. Bieber, who enjoys a massive fan following across the globe, first burst onto the scene with his blockbuster song, 'Baby.' Since then, Bieber has never looked back. With her successful music career, Bieber became one of the richest musicians in the world. However, the crooner certainly understands the power of helping others, as Bieber not only helped a family rebuild their home, but he did this good deed when he was just 16 years old.
Back in 2011, a teenager, Bieber, appeared on 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' to help the Brown family in Texas, whose home was falling apart. The family tragically lost their 17-year-old daughter, Alexandra, in a car accident caused by texting while driving, as per Daily Mail. In her memory, they founded the 'Remember Alex Brown Foundation' to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving. They spent the past year traveling to schools with Alexandra's wrecked truck to educate students and needed assistance rebuilding their homes.
Here enters Bieber, who surprised the Brown family—Jeanne, Johnny, and their 12-year-old daughter Katrina—by inviting them. In addition, he also welcomed some of Katrina's friends to his concert sound check. The family watched as he performed and danced during his rehearsal. In a heartfelt gesture, Bieber then announced that one dollar from every ticket sold for his show would be donated to the 'Remember Alex Brown Foundation,' supporting their mission to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving. He also signed their 'Don't Drive and Text' pledge, supporting his commitment to the cause, and took photos with Katrina.
This is not the only time when Bieber stepped in to help others, as the singer also served as manager for the Pencils of Promise's operations in Guatemala, as per The Things. For those who don't know, Pencils of Promise is a non-profit organization that was founded by Adam Braun in 2008. The organization builds schools, with 350 completed in Laos, Guatemala, and Ghana in 2021. Bieber also serves as the charity's spokesperson and donated part of his music proceeds to the cause. In 2010, Bieber also supported PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which advocates for animal rights, promoting a vegan lifestyle and opposing animal experimentation. The singer supported the cause by encouraging fans to adopt pets from shelters.
Additionally, Bieber and Ariana Grande's 2020 charity single 'Stuck With U' raised $3.5 million for the First Responders Children’s Foundation. Released on May 8, 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, the heartfelt ballad was a collaboration between the two pop stars, their manager Scooter Braun’s SB Projects, and their respective labels, Def Jam Recordings (Bieber) and Republic Records (Grande), as per Billboard. All proceeds from the song’s sales and streams were donated to the foundation, which distributed the funds to thousands of families of first responders, including healthcare workers, paramedics, firefighters, and EMTs. The donation helped support those on the frontlines of the pandemic, providing financial aid and assistance to those in need.