'Thanks A Million': Yara Shahidi gives $100,000 to parents of her late childhood friend
The recent episode of 'Thanks A Million' on the short-form mobile video platform, Quibi, featured actress-activist Yara Sayeh Shahidi. Now Shahidi is someone who loves practicing an "attitude of gratitude" and loves paying it forward and that's the reason she's on the show so that she could do something for people who have positively impacted her life.
She was excited to start a chain of gratitude and was on her way, with $100,000 to meet the people who are very special to her. The people in question are Victor and Libby Boyce, parents of her childhood friend Cameron Boyce.
Shahidi recalled her very first job together with Cameron where they played Princess Jasmine and Buzz Lightyear, respectively. Cameron passed away unexpectedly on July 6 last year. He was a very bright light in Shahidi's life and the lives of people who knew him. He was very passionate about using his voice to help others and Victor and Libby have chosen to carry forward their son's legacy with the 'Cameron Boyce Foundation' that invests in all areas that were close to Cameron.
Shahidi walked into Victor and Libby's office while they were in the middle of a meeting. They were told that they're going to be a part of a documentary and were not expecting Shahidi. After exchanging pleasantries, Shahidi told them that she's there just to say thank you for all the work that they're doing.
"It's one thing to inspire and another to inspire people into action and the work that you do is completely aspirational but also gives me a feeling to get up and do something every day," mentioned Yara. She told them that she wanted to thank them for all of those reasons and presented them with $100,000. She said her favorite part was that they would be able to donate half of it to someone who had helped bring a positive impact on their life.
Libby was extremely emotional with Yara's gesture. "You and Cameron started your journey together... You are both extremely philanthropic and it's really awesome that you guys started together and always supported and inspired each other but also share the love of changing the world and we are very proud of you," she mentioned.
Libby was now on her way to keep the wheels turning on this chain of gratitude. She met her co-worker Deborah who took a week off, unpaid, to help the family when Cameron had passed away.
"I am here to tell you how amazingly grateful I am. The week when Cameron passed away you took care of everything that week and made sure that we didn't have to think about all those logistics. You arranged the memorial," mentioned Libby before presenting Deborah with $50,000.
Deborah had it rough for the past two years and she thanked Libby for the gesture. She later set out to do her bit in this chain of gratitude, to donate the $25,000 to Rabbi Jaclyn who helped her plan Cameron's memorial.
Jaclyn was instrumental in bringing peace and calm in Deborah's life who was going through a very tough divorce and had no hope for the future and the latter considered herself very lucky that she could do this for Jaclyn and that's where the chain of gratitude that Yara had set into motion stopped.
'Thanks A Million' is now streaming on Quibi.