Why people are talking about this video of a football star giving clothes to a homeless woman

Malik Willis was seen on video giving clothes to a stranger
There are a lot of folks in the public eye who know how to look like a good person when the cameras are on, but when the limelight goes away they can be someone totally different. In reality, it’s what you do when no one is watching that is the true test of your character.
In the case of former Liberty University quarterback and NFL draft prospect Malik Willis, he’s clearly the type of guy that does good things when he isn’t in the spotlight.
Last week, Willis was in Indianapolis, Indiana for the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. The combine is a huge deal for former college players looking to get in the NFL. It’s an opportunity for them to show off their skills on the field in the hopes of making it on a team.
On Thursday, Willis was caught on video on a street corner, handing a woman sitting on a milk crate some fresh shirts out of a suitcase. According to Willis, she was there with her son.
Was having lunch yesterday and saw one of the Combine guys helping out someone on some hard times\u2026\n\n@malikwillis being great even when nobody is watching. How can you not be a fan of this guy?pic.twitter.com/BmFzUM66NU— Ryan Lacey (@Ryan Lacey) 1646327504
“I walked past her on the way to the Nike suite and I chopped it up with them and I walked out with a suitcase and whatnot," Willis said on NFL Network Thursday. "I felt bad because I saw her son. It was a pregnant lady and she was homeless.”
"I was just like, ‘Shoot, I don’t have no money, but I can give you a couple of shirts,” he added.
Willis said he had no idea that he was caught on video.
“I just felt like I had to do that,” Willis said. “I mean, I’m at a position right now where I’m not worried about much of anything except getting better. So, if I can help her out any way, I felt like I had to.”
Some people noted that while Willis was helping the woman out, another guy in a suit just walked on by without a care in the world.
Picture worth a thousand words pic.twitter.com/Wgo0Hab9um
— Ravi Mahapatra (@doctor_rpm) March 3, 2022
At a time when NFL scouts are judging players not only on their on-the-field performance but off-the-field leadership skills, Willis showed that he’s about a lot more than just football. He appears to be someone that would use his privilege as a professional athlete to help those who are less fortunate.
Last week, he gave a great answer when asked about the responsibility that comes with being a team’s franchise quarterback.
Malik Willis gave us all the aesthetics at the NFL Combine.pic.twitter.com/3e6fWpLhAk— Cameron Hogwood (@Cameron Hogwood) 1646381048
“I mean, you’re the face of the franchise, literally. You’re the face of the city. So, you’ve got to understand everything that comes with that and making sure you’re doing all the right things and making sure you’re doing your job,” Willis said in his combine media interview, according to ESPN.
Willis’ future looks bright in the NFL; the quarterback is one of the highest-ranked players at his position and it's rumored he'll wind up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders or the Denver Broncos.
Scouts on the field say that he is an agile, durable quarterback with a great arm. But off the field, he appears to be a man of character who’s ready to shine while playing a position that demands incredible leadership abilities.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."