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Independence teen needs help buying size 23 shoes

The 16-year-old needs shoes bigger than Shaquille O’Neal’s — and he’s not done growing yet.

Jor’el Neal Independence teen needs size 23 shoes

We think it would be difficult for most of us to walk a mile in his shoes.

Photo by Tamika Neal

$1,500. That’s the cost of one pair of size 23 shoes.

Independence 16-year-old Jor’el is 6’5, 380 lbs and has outgrown all of his current shoes. He now needs a size 23 — that’s one size bigger than what Shaquille O’Neal wears.

His mother, Tamika Neal, created a GoFundMe campaign to help.

“Who would have thought I’d be asking for help with shoes? This is not an easy ask,” she said.

Jor’el’s current shoes are too uncomfortable to wear as staples come out and poke him, making it difficult for him to even attend school.

The campaign has a goal of $6,000 so that Tamika can continue to buy shoes for her son that she says is still growing. Currently, $4,855 has been raised by 119 people.

Want to help Jor’el get on his feet? You can donate or share the campaign.

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