For a number of Atlanta residents, 2020 is starting off on a very high note. That’s because of one generous Atlanta Hawks player who wiped out more than $1 million of medical debt for people in the city.
NBA star Trae Young partnered with RIP Medical Debt, according to WSB-TV Atlanta, to relieve Atlantans who are past due on their healthcare bills and aren’t financially able to pay them back. In a statement, the 21-year-old said, “Giving back to this community is extremely important to me. I hope these families can find a bit of relief knowing that their bills have been taken care of as we enter the New Year.”
Through Young’s partnership, he was able to donate money to the nonprofit which was started in 2014. They then bought and forgave the debt portfolios of those who are in need of the help. Altogether the partnership wiped out $1,059,186.39 according to reports. That breaks down to 570 people who each received close to $2,000 in relief.
In a tweet, Young thanked his team for making the charitable act possible. “Blessed to have such a Great Team around me to help me make this happen!!” he said. “For the A.”
According to a 2019 study, roughly 137.1 million Americans have faced financial hardship in the last year because of medical costs. Another study found that the majority of all bankruptcies — 66.5 percent — were tied to medical issues. That’s an estimated 530,000 families.