Comedian Mike Epps had some encouraging words for a teen laid up in the hospital after being shot three times over the weekend.
The Chicago teen was recovering after being shot while walking to a store on Feb. 28 when community activist Ja’Mal Green visited and connected the two via the FaceTime app. Green posted the exchange to social media on March 3.
Green said he’d asked the youth who his favorite comedian was, and when the teen named Mike Epps, he whipped out his cell phone and dialed up the “Friday’ movie franchise and “The Upshaws” star.
Epps endorsed Green in his 2023 Chicago mayoral bid.
The shooting has left the Chicago teen permanently unable to bend his arm, Green said. But the boy was all smiles while chatting with Epps.
“I got shot three times, and I ran,” he said to the comedian.
Epps told the smiling teen to look forward to leaving the hospital.
“Go on and get up out of there, man,” Epps told the teen. “They didn’t get you. That means God gave you another chance.”
The boy assured Epps he would prosper.
“I’m a survivor,” he said.
Watch Mike Epps encourage shooting victim
Click here to view the video of Epps encouraging the shooting victim.
The boy’s family has set up a fundraiser at gofundme.com.
Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com:@cherylvjackson or Bluesky:@cherylvjackson.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: See comedian Mike Epps encourage teen shot three times in Chicago
Reporting by Cheryl V. Jackson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
