Rapper Nelly noticed an excited fan at a recent NASCAR event and performance in North Carolina and what the Grammy winner did moments later has touched countless hearts.
Video footage showed the music star pull the jacket off his own back and give it to a very special young man who could not stop smiling up at him, Fox News reported Thursday.
When Nelly approached the fan, who was in his wheelchair at the NASCAR Cup Series event, he asked him if he was driving one of the race cars.
Moments later, he began taking off his jacket and draped it on the young man whose face was beaming with happiness:
“I know, I feel the same way,” Nelly told him. “Hold onto this today. You make it good.”
Someone nearby said it was the fan’s birthday and Nelly said, “Happy birthday, brother!”
The young man told him thank you and Nelly leaned down to give him a big hug as everyone watched their sweet exchange.
“Next time, you driving,” Nelly told him before walking away.
The fan was identified as Jake Lemke, who has Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, per the Fox report.
“Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a condition that occurs almost exclusively in males. It is characterized by neurological and behavioral abnormalities and the overproduction of uric acid,” according to the Medline Plus website:
The nervous system and behavioral disturbances experienced by people with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome include abnormal involuntary muscle movements, such as tensing of various muscles (dystonia), jerking movements (chorea), and flailing of the limbs (ballismus). People with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome usually cannot walk, require assistance sitting, and generally use a wheelchair.
Meanwhile, social media users expressed their joy at Nelly’s kind gesture, one person writing, “This is what life is about. The true purpose of life, make someone happy and expect nothing in return.”
“This brought tears to my eyes – such a small act of kindness can bring such joy to another human. Thank you, Nelly, for being such a kind human!!!” another replied.