Justin Bieber has found himself in the spotlight for various reasons lately, from being an inspiration for a breakup song by ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez to promoting his own new music. But the singer has also sparked concern among fans after revealing his battle with various health conditions.
Bieber first dropped the bombshell about his mental health struggles last year in a lengthy Instagram caption, detailing a very dark time in his life before he met his now-wife, Hailey Bieber. And earlier this year, he shocked his fans once again by admitting that he has lupus, an autoimmune condition triggered by a tick bite.
Considering his own personal health struggles, it’s understandable that the Canadian singer wants to help other fans who are facing similar battles. It had only been hours since the release of his latest music video ‘Intentions’ when Bieber surprised one superfan with an act of kindness that could possibly change his life.
While promoting his new music on MTV’s Fresh Out Live, the star left a 22-year-old college student, Julie Coker, lost for words after giving her a generous sum of $100,000. So, what did Coker do exactly to deserve such an act of generosity from her idol? The 22-year-old was recognized by Billboard for her work as a mental health advocate.
She even has her own non-profit organization under the name of Active Minds that she runs from Stockton University. Cocker, who has struggled with depression in the past says that she now wants to help others who are facing similar battles. She urges everyone to have more conversations about mental health especially during a time when more and more people are being diagnosed with depression and anxiety.
Over 50 percent of the American population admits to struggling with depression at some point in their lives, making the mental illness more prevalent and dangerous than obesity, lung diseases, and heart diseases combined.
Coker was beyond herself to receive such a generous present from her favorite idol and said that money would go towards funding her grad school as well as helping Active Minds grow beyond borders.
This isn’t the first time Bieber has demonstrated thoughtfulness through his actions. In his recent music video, the singer featured a Saudi Arabian girl, Bahri, who was raised in foster care and now wants to graduate from college, becoming the first woman in her family to accomplish the impressive feat.