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Dwyane Wade's mom, Parkland family featured in tear-jerking tribute video

By Alex Butler
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) will play in his final game at AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday in Miami. File Photo by Mark Goldman/UPI
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) will play in his final game at AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday in Miami. File Photo by Mark Goldman/UPI | License Photo

April 9 (UPI) -- Dwyane Wade's mom and the sister of a Parkland victim are featured in an emotional tribute video for the Miami Heat star ahead of his final home game.

Budweiser posted the video Tuesday on its social media platforms. Wade plays in the final home game of his career when the Heat host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

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The company put together the four-minute clip, which begins with Wade standing on the court of AmericanAirlines Arena by himself. The clip rolls footage of Wade standing alongside fellow NBA stars after they swapped jerseys throughout the season as part of his "Last Dance" tour.

"I have no idea who's coming. Like literally no idea," Wade said in the video.

Five different people then walked up to Wade and told him how much he has meant to them. One man said he comes from an area where "not too many people make it." He said Wade helped inspire him and spark change in his life.

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Another woman spoke about her brother, Joaquin Oliver, being one of the 17 victims killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings on Valentine's Day 2018. Oliver was buried in Wade's jersey. Wade visited the school following the shooting and made several tributes to the victims throughout that season, including meeting Oliver's family and writing Oliver's name on his shoes.

Another woman said her house burnt down and her family lost everything. Wade took the family on a shopping spree.

"It just meant the world to me that you were there for us at that time. You became our hero," she said.

Wade gave a full-tuition scholarship to another woman. The final person who walked out was Wade's mother, Jolinda.

"You were the joy of my life, but I was dropping the ball," said Jolinda who spent time in prison throughout Wade's childhood. "That day that I just couldn't do it no more was the day that I was going to have to turn myself in. I seen the tears just fall from your eyes. Your mama went down a road Dwyane that I didn't ever think I'd come back from."

"But on that road, I noticed you kept showing up. And you'd come and see about me. And Dwyane, because you believed in me, when I got out of prison I was a different woman."

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Each person gave Wade a special item to commemorate his graciousness. He received one of Oliver's jerseys, a cap and gown, a blazer from a job interview, and a purple robe he gave his mother.

Wade, 37, is averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game during his final NBA season. The 13-time All-Star was an eight-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-Defensive team selection and three-time NBA champion. Wade was also the 2005-2006 Finals MVP and the 2008-2009 scoring champion.

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