We read so much about Keanu Reaves and his incredible talent on screens.

However, most fans don’t know a thing about his personal life and the way he acts around people. Truth is, Keanu Reeves’ life story is really sad, and the tragedies he suffered made him a compassionate, loving, respectful, and generous person.

Keanu’s dad left the family when the actor was three, and Keanu was 13 the last time he met him. There were many stepfathers and many homes, scattered between Sydney, New York, and Toronto.

The actor went to various high schools, and it was a tough challenge for him. His partner, Jennifer Syme, gave birth to a stillborn baby when she was eight months pregnant. Jennifer died in a car accident weeks later.

Keanu’s younger sister Kim had leukemia in the 1990s and struggled it with the terrible disease for a decade. Keanu was Jennifer’s caretaker.

He reportedly spent more than $5 million on treatments during his sister’s ten-year battle with the disease. Kim later said that he was her greatest support then. When the pain got really bad, he would sit with her, hold her hand, and comfort her.

Although in remission since 1999, Keanu has been vigilant toward to cause since and donated 70% of his Matrix gains to cancer research.

This decade made Keanu a strong person, and he established his foundation in honor of his sister. His name was never mentioned.

His private foundation funds cancer research and supports children’s wards and kids’ hospitals. Keanu never claimed credit for this, and no one knew what he was up to.

In a 2009 interview with the Ladies’ Home Journal, Keanu said his private foundation helps aid a couple of children’s hospitals and cancer research, but he does not like to attach his name to it, but lets the foundation to continue its work.

However, this man has proven to be a great person on numerous occasions. 

In 2008, he volunteered to man the phones at a Stand Up to Cancer telethon. He was also a goalkeeper during a charity ice hockey match organized for the Spinal Cord Opportunities for Rehabilitation Endowment. SCORE is founded as a way to support players who struggle with spinal injuries.

The world knows everything about Keanu’s charitable work. A Reddit user bo2dd2 worked with Keanu on the set of Chain Reaction and reported that it was a fantastic experience, as the actor is a unique person. Keanu took stagehands and grunt workers for breakfast and lunch.

Also, a family friend of a person who worked on the set of the Matrix had some problems, and when Keanu heard about the family trouble, he gave the man $20,000.

Moreover, during the set of the Matrix Reloaded, Keanu rewarded every person in his team (special effects) with Harley Davidson motorcycles. It was their Christmas present.

Millions from his earnings ended up in the hands of crews who worked with him on the trilogy. Some estimate that the actor gave $75 to $100 million to the guys that worked alongside him behind the scenes.

Hopefully, other actors and public persons will follow his example. Instead of enjoying the money he earned on set, Keanu shared it with crews.

Despite rocketing to fame, he is uncommonly grounded and not focused on earning. In an interview, he explained that money doesn’t mean anything to him, and he only wants to enjoy life and not stress himself building his bank account.

He also says that his motivation is to pursue quality acting rather than big pay, as he doesn’t connect the enjoyment and the money. He is grateful for some of the successes as they create other opportunities. 

Keanu never brags about his wealth. Moreover, he looks like a normal guy with his clothes and attitude. He uses public transport and eats where you eat. He is just a simple guy who did some really good job for those in need.

Let us hope that many will follow his example, as such people change the world.

Sources:
educateinspirechange.org
www.theepochtimes.com
www.thelist.com