In 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) made quite a big policy change. As a result, college athletes are now able to earn endorsement money. This can be done through signing autographs, advertisement campaigns, and more. As soon as basketball star Anthony Leal heard of this change, he knew exactly what he’d be doing with his money.
You might guess that Anthony’s plans involved using the money for himself. But the Indiana University student had someone else on his mind: his sister, Lauren. She was set to graduate in December 2023, and he knew she was racking up a lot of college debt… but not for long! Watch Lauren react to Anthony’s life-changing Christmas gift in the video below.
Like her brother, Lauren was also a student-athlete. Unfortunately, an injury ended her playing career there. As excited as she was to have graduated, in the same month as both her birthday and Christmas, she knew that she would soon have to figure out how to pay off her debt. She already had one job, but she was thinking of getting a third.
Anthony Leal Changes His Sister’s Life With a Single Christmas Present
“What was holding me back is no longer something that I have to worry about,” Lauren said. “So that’s indescribable.”
Although Anthony didn’t want to share the exact amount of Lauren’s debt, he did say it’s a “very solid, five-figure number.” At least it was! When asked about her plans for the future, at the time, Lauren said she wanted to take a gap year before returning to school. Her goal? To become a physician assistant!
“Instead of saving off now to pay off student debt, I’m going to save now to pay when I have to pay debt after PA school,” Lauren explained, “so I feel like I have a head start.”
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