Superstar rapper Drake is known for appreciating the finer things in life. Fur coats, sparkling jewels, and fast cars may be some of Drizzy’s favorites, but he also has a soft spot for making people smile, too.
After reading a story in the Miami Herald about hotel housekeepers who are forced to spend hours commuting to work because they’ve been being pushed out of the city due to the skyrocketing cost of rent, Drake chose to act.
The “More Life” rapper decided to treat longtime hotel worker Odelie Paret and a friend to a day of pampering and a $10,000 shopping spree.
It all began with a cryptic phone call. Paret, who has worked at the famed Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach for 21 years, was told that someone had arranged for her to enjoy a massage at the spa and dinner at the upscale restaurant StripSteak by Michael Mina. After enjoying her lobster, Paret and her friend were whisked away to the Brickell City Centre. There, after the mall closed, the mom of five finally found out who was behind her magical evening.
“I always just saw him on the TV. So I said, ‘Drake!’” she told the Miami Herald. “It made me happy. … I thank him so much.”
Drake and NFL star Antonio Brown, a Miami native, told Paret and two other women they had 45 minutes, and no budget limit, to get whatever they wanted from Saks Fifth Avenue. After not finding any clothes that fit, Paret picked up assorted perfumes, a new pair of shoes for church, a Valentino purse, and a $6,000 diamond necklace.
The generous gift wasn’t a one-off for Drake, who worked with city officials to figure out which causes deserved his support. In addition to pampering Paret, Drake also donated $25,000 to Miami Senior High School and gave University of Miami student Destiny James a $50,000 scholarship. He also wrote a $50,000 check to a local homeless shelter, plus donated $150 Target gift cards to all of the shelter’s 150 female residents and showered their children with toys.
The week-long effort left Drake reflective and full of gratitude.
“Last 3 days were the best I have had in a very long time,” he wrote on Instagram. “There’s nothing like seeing people experience a joyful moment when you can tell they need it the most.”