NBA Icon Michael Jordan Donates $10 Million to Make-A-Wish Foundation on his 60th birthday

In lieu of his upcoming birthday celebrations on 17th February, sports legend Micheal Jordan has expressed his wish of giving back to society. Creating history, the NBA legend has pledged an estimated $10 million donation to the charity organization, Make-A-Wish-Foundation. It is the greatest ever individual contribution to the foundation since its inception in 1980.

Jordan is the first billionaire NBA professional, and his current net worth is a whopping $2.5 billion, which he has earned from his iconic basketball career, brand endorsements as well as his elite sneaker brand Jordan. He has, previously too, been associated with various philanthropic activities throughout his lifetime, and this is one more step in that direction.  

According to People, the former Chicago Bulls icon expressed gratitude and wished for every child in the world to fulfill his or her dream. He also said that he "can't think of a better birthday gift than seeing others join him" in supporting the foundation. Jordan hopes the donation will allow "every child to experience the magic of having their wish come true." He also spoke about how inspiration the resilience of these kids is: "For the past 34 years, it's been an honor to partner with Make-A-Wish and help bring a smile and happiness to so many kids, witnessing their strength and resilience during such a tough time in their lives has truly been an inspiration." 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation officially announced the generous donation along with a birthday wish to the legend.

While applauding the legend, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish America, Leslie Motter said, "Everyone knows about Michael's legacy on the basketball court, but it's what he has consistently done off the court when no one's watching that makes him a true legend for wish families and the wider Make-A-Wish community. Michael using his birthday as a chance to make history for Make-A-Wish speaks to the quality of his character and his loyal dedication to making life better for children with critical illnesses. We hope that the public will be inspired to follow in his footsteps by helping make wishes come true."

Jordan was named Make-A-Wish Chief Wish Ambassador in 2008, and he has been involved with the Make-A-Wish foundation since 1989, regularly donating to fulfill the dreams of terminally ill kids.  According to Lad Bible, besides his anonymous donations over the years, Jordan has granted hundreds of wishes all over the world, considering his legacy the NBA icon remains to be one of the most requested celebrity wish-granters even after retiring from professional basketball in 2003.

Currently, Jordan is the principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets and his estimated net worth is approximately $2.5 billion. Jordan hopes that his generous gesture inspires millions to close the gap in the number of terminally ill kids waiting worldwide for their wishes to come true.