American television host Ellen DeGeneres surprised Lawrence, a young Kenyan man living in the United States, with Sh2.5 million to support his college education and cover other school supplies.
The gift followed a video Lawrence sent to DeGeneres, in which he described her as a source of inspiration and said he admired the way she helps people and gives them opportunities.
In the clip, Lawrence said: “I wish to see you because I love you… I love what you do, I love how you surprise people, I love how you give people chances,” said Lawrence.
Lawrence, who is a certified registered nurse working with the elderly, said he won a US Green Card at the age of 19 and later struggled to settle in. He said people mocked him because of his accent and that he wanted to return home.
He also spoke about culture shock and difficult moments after arriving in the US. Despite that, he said he kept working because he had family to support in Kenya.
Lawrence said he worked 16-hour shifts in his health care job so he could send money home for his siblings’ education. He said his sister is in college and his brother is in high school.
Earlier in the year, DeGeneres and her wife visited Nairobi while travelling to Rwanda for the wildlife fund’s first project.
