CLEVELAND -- During the Cleveland Cavaliers' 89-77 win over the Boston Celtics Tuesday night, LeBron James noticed a fan wearing some familiar shoes.
Aaron Miller, 16, was recognized during the game as the MVP of the Special Olympics. The Boston-area teenager was wearing a pair of Nike Zoom LeBron Soldier 8 Flyease, a special model partly designed by James himself.
As James exited a timeout after Miller was honored with a standing ovation, he sought Miller out in the crowd.
After the game, James returned to give Miller his game-worn shoes.
James posted a photo from the moment on Instagram:
See video of James' first interaction with Miller here:
The moment, which has gone viral, sheds light on James' compassion, as well as his special footwear.
Nike Flyease shoes are designed to help athletes with disabilities to perform better.
The shoes came to life when 16-year-old Matthew Walzer, of Florida, wrote a letter to Nike CEO Mark Parker in 2012. Walzer has cerebral palsy, meaning his muscles stiffen and become weak.
In his letter, Walzer noted he has flexibility in only one hand, making it impossible to tie shoes. He requested a basketball-style shoe with ease and accessibility for people with disabilities.
The result was the Flyease, which features a zipper that wraps around the back of the shoe and essentially peels away. A pair was given to Walzer, who said he experienced a wave of new-found independence from the shoes.
The shoe's designer, Tobie Hatfield, met with Walzer to begin a collaboration that resulted in the Nike Zoom LeBron Soldier 8 Flyease.
"Now what we need to do, is we need to broaden that vision," Hatfield said in a Nike promotional video.
Walzer also got to meet James, one of his favorite athletes.
"He inspired us at Nike to be able to bring something special for the masses," James said in the promotional video. "...I'm very honored and very blessed that my shoe is part of the whole project. The inspiration that he gave us is going to last for a lifetime."
The Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease hit stores in July.
Watch video of the creation of Flyease, including Walzer's meeting with James, here:
