Atlanta rapper Big Boi to pay medical expenses for 5-year-old girl paralyzed in shooting

Atlanta rapper Big Boi is paying the medical expenses for a girl who was paralyzed in a shooting and has given her a service puppy as she continues her recovery.

The member of legendary musical duo Outkast reached out to the family of Abriya Ellison after learning about the 5-year-old who was injured in a shooting while at a party earlier this year.

Antwan “Big Boi” Patton told WSB-TV Atlanta that he was touched by Abriya’s energy and spirit she displayed while going through therapy. Her mother says Abriya became close with service dogs while at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

“She’s been asking for it for the longest and I know that a puppy that she can take care of and now she has responsibility, it’s going to do nothing but help her,” Andreauna Douglas told WSB-TV.

Abriya recently completed months of therapy after being paralyzed from the waist down in the April 10 drive-by shooting, according to ajc.com.

As of Friday morning, Abriya’s GoFundMe page shows a donation of $2,445 made by Antwan and James Patton, which was enough money to meet the fundraising goal for Abriya.

The brothers say they will also pay Abriya’s dog vet bills.

Abriya has named the puppy King.

This story was originally published August 11, 2017 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Atlanta rapper Big Boi to pay medical expenses for 5-year-old girl paralyzed in shooting."