Beverly Towler Crawford lost her 30-year-old son Jonathan to a heart attack on April 9, 2025. He left behind his son Julian and his girlfriend Brittney Kilroy. In mid-June 2025, Beverly began posting videos on her TikTok page talking about her grief and sharing Jonathan's life and legacy with others.
"Grief is rough. Losing anybody you love, let alone your kid, is brutal… I've stumbled through these last eight months. But I continue to try because that means so much to me," she said in one of her videos.
On December 1, 2025, Beverly posted a video addressed to Shaquille O'Neal and talked about the bond she shared with Jonathan. They loved watching basketball together, especially NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal.
When Jonathan was born in 1994, Beverly was a single mother struggling to make ends meet. Jonathan grew quickly as a child, and because money was tight, she always looked for shoes at Payless that cost less than $10. When Shaq's shoes arrived at Payless in 2001, Jonathan was so proud to wear them.
@mom.nene.beverly Thank you @ShaqDieselONeal for helping my son and I create a bond that transcends life and death #Shaq #ShaqShoes #BoysAndGirlsClubofAmerica ♬ original sound - Just Beverly
As Jonathan got older, Beverly began earning more money. They started supporting the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program to provide Christmas gifts for local families. Fifteen years ago, Beverly and Jonathan began including Shaq shoes in their Angel Tree donations.
Even though Jonathan is gone, she didn't want their special tradition to end. On Jonathan's birthday on November 19, 2025, Beverly went shopping and bought 15 pairs of Shaq shoes and 15 basketballs. She donated them to the Boys and Girls Club in her son's name.
"I just want to thank you. You were someone who brought so much joy to him as a little boy… You made our lives easier by creating shoes that kids could be proud to wear," Beverly said through tears.
A few days later, Shaq's son Shareef O'Neal commented on Beverly's video and reached out to her.
"I just wanted to reach out after seeing the video about your son. It truly moved me… I've been through open-heart surgery myself, so it resonated deeply. Please know I’m sending tons of prayers, strength, and love your family’s way," Shareef said in a message to Beverly.
Shaq, Shareef, and the Shaq brand donated 300 pairs of Shaq shoes to any charity Beverly chose, and she chose the Boys and Girls Club. Shaq also decided to create a custom 1-of-1, size-22 shoe in Jonathan's honor to send to her.
In April 2025, she started a GoFundMe to support Jonathan's son Julian, and it has reached over $5,800.
Beverly said she plans to start a nonprofit foundation to help parents screen for genetic or medical conditions like the one that led to Jonathan's passing. Her grandson Julian has the same condition. What began with unimaginable pain has grown into something that is inspiring others who have lost someone to keep going.
