WNBA star Angel Reese gave her mother, Angel Webb Reese, a birthday gift that left her speechless. During an episode of her “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, the Chicago Sky forward surprised her mother by announcing she had paid off her mortgage.
A Dream Come True
Reese, who has often spoken about her admiration for her mother, fulfilled a lifelong goal with this gesture. “You said that if your mortgage was paid off that you would retire, or you won’t work, or you can pick if you want to work still, so your mortgage has been paid,” Reese told her mother.
Overcome with emotion, Webb Reese nearly dropped her birthday cake. “What? Are you serious?” she responded, stunned by the news.
Reese reassured her mother that she no longer had to worry about making mortgage payments. “Today, your mortgage has been paid. You ain’t gotta worry about your mortgage no more,” she said. “And if you want to still work and keep yourself busy, you can keep yourself busy.”
A Gesture of Gratitude
Reese has always credited her mother as a key influence in her life. Webb Reese, a former basketball player for the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), was inducted into the UMBC Athletics Hall of Fame and even played professionally in Luxembourg. Reese honored her mother by wearing the same #10 jersey at LSU before switching to #5 with the Chicago Sky.
In an interview last year, Reese reflected on her family’s struggles and how she aspired to take care of them. “My mom is a single mom. Being able to raise two kids… My mom wouldn’t have been able to pay for college for me and my brother without me being able to get an athletic scholarship,” she said. “That was my biggest goal in life, to retire you. To pay your mortgage or whatever you wanted for you not to work.”
After delivering the emotional surprise, Reese added that she was purchasing a house in Chicago and invited her mother to visit whenever she wanted. The heartfelt moment ended with Reese singing “Happy Birthday” as her mother wiped away tears.