One of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victims was buried in a Dwyane Wade jersey this week and the Miami Heat guard was crushed when he learned that.
You really can’t put that in words,” Wade said in a measured tone while seated at the west end of the team’s practice court on the second level of AmericanAirlines Arena. “You hurt for the family and if you’re able to get an opportunity to speak to them, you just try to hope that the time where he was alive, that you were able to bring some form of joy to his life and something memorable, a story that you guys can talk about.
“I don’t even know the word for it. Like I re-tweeted on Twitter, I said, ‘You’re going to make me cry.’ Itโs emotional even thinking about that, that his parents felt that burying him in my jersey is something that he wanted. I take a lot of pride in what I’ve done in this state and what Iโve meant for the youth, so I appreciate that.”
Wade has gone on to say that he was going to dedicate the rest of the NBA season to Joaquin Oliver.
This is Joaquin Oliver. He was one of the 17 young lives that were lost tragically at Douglas HighSchool in Parkland. Joaquin was one of many that i heard was excited about my return to Miami and yesterday was buried in my jersey. This is why we will not just SHUT up and dribble! pic.twitter.com/X0tfTTao33
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 26, 2018
Itโs way BIGGER than basketball. We are the voices for the people that donโt get to be heard. Joaquin Oliver may you Rest In Peace and i dedicate my return and the rest of this Miami Heat season to you. ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 26, 2018
During tonight’s Heat-Sixers game Wade honored Oliver by inscripting his name on his sneakers tonight.
#SoleWatch: @DwyaneWade honoring Parkland shooting victim Joaquin Oliver on his sneakers tonight. pic.twitter.com/0b161oMZ5F
— SoleCollector.com (@SoleCollector) February 28, 2018
Update: Dwyane Wade went on to win the game with this shot.
Dwyane Wade clutch game-winner vs Sixers "THIS IS MY HOUSE" pic.twitter.com/fJRgqqJXms
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) February 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/World_Wide_Wob/status/968723511115157509