College basketball star pays off his older sister's student loan after saving money for 2 years
College tuition fee is no joke, and that’s why for most parents, sending their children to college is financially challenging.
Thankfully, schools offer student loans to somehow lighten the financial burden on people who want to enroll and pursue their studies. However, taking out a student loan also means getting yourself into an instant responsibility because, of course, you must pay it off after.
And Anthony Leal didn’t want his sister, Lauren, to experience that.
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That’s what Anthony and Lauren are since they were little kids, in fact, they’re the best of friends. Being the older child, Lauren was always protective of her little brother when they were growing up and Anthony couldn’t be more thankful for that.
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Smart and athletic, that’s how most people describe Anthony. He is already in his third year as a business major student at Indiana University. Leal is also a student-athlete and plays point guard for the Indiana Hoosiers.
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In 2021, the NCAA gave college athletes like him the chance to earn money from endorsements through social media monetization, advertising campaigns, autograph signing, and even teaching camps and lessons.
On the other hand, his older sister has been juggling between two jobs to pay off her student loan debt.
When he learned about his sister’s student loan debt, he saved up money for two years and paid it all off.
The selfless younger brother saved all his endorsement money for his sister instead of just spending it extravagantly for himself. When he’s finally able to save enough to pay Lauren’s student loan debt, he thought about announcing his surprise on Christmas day.
On that special day, Anthony decided to give his little sister a card, and written on it is a heartfelt message for her alongside the revelation that he was going to pay off her five-digit student loan debt. The heartwarming moment was caught on camera when Lauren, their mother, and their grandmother were all tearing up.
“I’m on scholarships so I don’t necessarily need the money, so I decided to try to use that to help my sister,” the thoughtful younger brother said. “It was nice to just be able to take that burden off her shoulders.”
“Hey, sis! I wanted to let you know how much I look up to you and admire who you are. Your soul is beautiful and you are the best role model ever. There is no doubt that I have made it to where I am today because of you,” he wrote. “Someone like you deserves no burdens or restrictions in life, and I feel that the best way to help with that is by paying off your student loan debt.”
After reading the letter, the siblings gave each other a warm hug, and everyone that day was without a doubt overjoyed, especially Lauren. A huge load has been taken away by his thoughtful younger brother who unselfishly put her first before himself.
“I can go full steam ahead in my future and what I want to accomplish, what I want to do, without having that just weighing me down and holding me back. So it’s just, it’s surreal It’s incredible,” the thankful older sister said.
What a way to celebrate the holiday season!
Don’t forget to watch the heartwarming video below.
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This is what it is all about. Hoosier Guard Anthony Leal surprises sister by paying for student loans #IUBB pic.twitter.com/J3xjy2NIVr
— Barstool IU (@IUBarstool) December 25, 2022