Actor and rapper Will Smith has won praise after stepping in to replace YouTuber Salah Brooks’ stolen skydiving equipment.
Hollywood A-lister Will Smith has made headlines again – not for a blockbuster movie, but for an act of kindness that went viral online after American YouTuber Salah Brooks recently had her expensive skydiving gear stolen during a trip to Cape Town.
The unexpected gesture highlighted the actor and rapper’s ongoing efforts to help others in need over the years.
Will Smith answers viral plea of popular YouTuber
The bubbly Brooks – a popular content creator with millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram – shared a series of clips recounting how her $10,000-worth (around R164 000) skydiving equipment, along with other personal belongings, was taken from her car while she made a pitstop for coffee in the Mother City.
In a candid TikTok post, Brooks warned her fans not to leave belongings in an unlocked car and described her emotional reaction to the robbery, admitting she felt shocked, but still loved the city despite lashing out after the incident.
@salah getting robbed was not on my end of year bingo card
♬ original sound – Salah Brooks
Will Smith steps in – and social media goes wild
Just when it seemed Brooks would be dealing with a stressful aftermath, she revealed a twist: Will Smith had seen her video and decided to help by covering the cost of replacing her stolen skydiving gear.
To cap things off, Smith even liked her Instagram post – a gesture that sent fans into a frenzy online and reignited admiration for the actor’s generosity.
While the exact details of how Smith arranged the replacement of the gear haven’t been publicly disclosed, Brooks’ gratitude and the actor’s online engagement sparked widespread applause from social media users, with many praising the actor for “doing good deeds quietly” and setting an example.
Golden thread of kindness from Hollywood’s Fresh Prince
Smith’s involvement in assisting Brooks isn’t an isolated case of the generous spirit of the Hollywood star, who shot to fame in the 90s as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Over the years, the actor and his family have been associated with charitable work focused on empowerment, education and community support.
- Through the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation (WJSFF), Smith champions arts, education, health and wellness initiatives aimed at creating opportunities and uplifting communities around the world.
- Smith has publicly encouraged fans to support causes such as clean water access in partnership with the global nonprofit organisation charity: water, reflecting his broader humanitarian interests.
- In past years, he’s surprised teens recognised for acts of kindness with special gifts and encouragement, showing that his philanthropic interests aren’t limited to large institutions.
These efforts paint a picture of a Hollywood figure who often goes beyond the spotlight to make meaningful contributions to others’ lives.
What fans are saying
Reactions online were overwhelmingly positive. Many commenters noted that it was refreshing to see a star of Smith’s stature respond humanely to someone in an unfortunate situation, especially in a location far from his home base.
Supporters highlighted that it’s not just the generosity but the personal touch – even a like on Instagram – that resonates in the digital age.
‘From Pole to Pole with Will Smith’
The Pursuit of Happyness star will be in action on DStv tonight (14 January) in the new National Geographic original series Pole to Pole with Will Smith.
The seven-part DStv docuseries will air on Wednesdays at 8.30pm on National Geographic across Africa – with the first six episodes double-billed – and stream on Disney+ in South Africa.
Five years in the making, the series follows Smith across all seven continents, taking him from the icefields of Antarctica to the jungles of the Amazon, the mountains of the Himalayas, the deserts of Africa, the islands of the Pacific and the icebergs of the Arctic.
