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Christmas came early for Keyontae Johnson and his family ... the Florida Gators star is being released from the hospital!!

The 21-year-old collapsed on the court during Florida's game against Florida State on Dec. 12. He was hospitalized in Tallahassee and transported to the UF hospital in Gainesville ... and at one point, was placed in a medically induced coma.

But, Johnson has been improving ever since ... and even did the famous "Gator Chomp" from his hospital bed last week.

Now, it's time to go home.

"Today is a great day!" Johnson's family said in a statement Tuesday. "We continue to be amazed at the pace of his recovery and look forward to spending Christmas together as a family."

"Along with so many well wishes and prayers, we've understandably gotten questions about the cause and extent of Keyontae's illness."

"As much as everyone involved wants firm answers, the process to draw definitive conclusions continues, and we ask for patience as the medical professionals continue their work."

The Johnsons say they will share as much info as possible to potentially help others dealing with similar issues once it's available.

21 Savage surprised a bunch of kids and their families when he played secret Santa ... giving them exactly what they wanted from their Christmas wish lists.

The rapper and his Leading By Example Foundation hooked up over 30 kids from the Wade Walker Park Family YMCA in DeKalb County, GA for some much-needed relief and joy.

Lorna Loh, the Executive Director at that YMCA, tells TMZ ... last week the kids were asked to write letters to Santa with their wish lists. Unbeknownst to the kiddos -- and their families -- the YMCA staff went on a shopping spree and bought everything on their lists ... courtesy of 21 Savage and the foundation.

Some of the most popular items requested were LOL surprise dolls, Legos and Hot Wheels. The kids who benefited are in the YMCA's virtual learning program ... many of whom are on financial assistance, so you know this gesture went a long way.

Then, on Monday, parents brought the kids to the YMCA where the surprise was revealed. The kids were stunned, to say the least. Parents also got a surprise ... the foundation provided each of them with 12 lb. turkeys along with the sides and trimmings for a true Christmas feast.

Yes, social distancing was practiced similar to Prince Jackson's shopping spree.

21 Savage was not at the occasion but his presence certainly was felt. He's also no stranger to the YMCA -- last Thanksgiving he was there to serve 300 Thanksgiving meals to needy families.

The United Airlines passenger who fell ill on a flight last week and died did indeed have coronavirus ... yet United has not notified passengers they may be at risk for COVID.

The Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office in Louisiana released the passenger's cause of death -- he died from acute respiratory failure and COVID-19. The passenger -- a 69-year-old Los Angeleno -- died at a New Orleans hospital following an emergency landing.

As TMZ reported, the passenger's wife was overheard telling people on the plane that her husband had COVID symptoms, including a loss of taste and smell as well as shortness of breath. It appears the man did not tell the truth before boarding when asked if he had COVID symptoms.

One of the passengers on the flight -- EMT Tony Aldapa -- administered CPR for 45 minutes before the plane landed. He says United contacted him a few days ago and said it was turning the flight manifest over to the CDC and they would either get in touch with him or he could call them.

The incident occurred 8 days ago, and Tony says although he's had symptoms he tested negative as recently as Monday. He's getting another test today.

We've spoken with other passengers who say they have still not been contacted by anyone about the flight or the danger of contracting COVID onboard.

We have 2 leaders in the clubhouse when it comes to the new permanent name for the Washington Football Team ... and one of 'em is inspired by that other brand of football.

Team sources tell us owner Daniel Snyder is strongly considering sticking with the Washington Football Team -- for good reasons that we'll get into in a moment -- but we're also told the Washington Football Club is also in the running.

Washington Football Team or Washington Football Club? WFT or WFC?

Let's break it down. WFT has a lot going for it ... head coach Ron Rivera has the team playing well lately. Yeah, they're only 6-8, but that's good enough to top the NFC East and, as of now, they're in the playoffs. Winning cures all.

As for WFC ... we're told some folks in the organization like the tip of the hat to Premier League powerhouses Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal ... all of which use the FC handle.

Now, we're told it's not a lock Snyder goes with either WFC or WFT ... but he is keen on both. The team hasn't picked a deadline to make a final choice, but it's reportedly eyeing the 2022 season to debut the new permanent handle.

Dr. Anthony Fauci -- America's true leader in the battle against the coronavirus -- just got the COVID-19 vaccine ... along with some of his colleagues.

Fauci took his shot in the arm Tuesday morning at a National Institutes of Health kickoff event in Bethesda, Maryland. He got the first dose of the Moderna vaccine, which he and his team helped develop.

Fauci wanted the nation to see him roll up his sleeve and get inoculated ... a message to the public he has complete confidence in the vaccine. He gave everyone 2 big thumbs up.

The country's leading infectious disease expert was joined by other top Trump administration health officials in getting vaccinated, including HHS Secretary Alex Azar and NIH Director Francis Collins.

Before getting their injections, all 3 men spoke on the incredible scientific accomplishment in getting this vaccine out in such a short time frame ... providing hope and saving lives going forward. A small group of nurses and healthcare providers also got their shots on stage.

As you may know ... the FDA approved the Moderna vaccine for emergency use Friday night, days after frontline health workers and several politicians began getting Pfizer's vaccine.

Kylie Jenner is going to keep getting ear-shattering attacks from animal rights protesters until she declares she won't wear fur anymore.

The SoCal Animal Defense League swarmed Kylie over the weekend in Bev Hills, slamming her and calling her a monster ... and now activist Rob Banks tells us the group targeted Kylie because she wears fur and was shopping at Moncler, which sells fox fur coats.

Those same activists tell us they will not stop going after Kylie until she swears off fur.

We're told Kylie's a target even if she's not wearing fur when protesters spot her ... animal rights activists are actively trying to hunt Kylie down, wherever she goes.

Meanwhile, honchos at PETA tell us the org would like to see Kylie join other members of her family, like Kim Kardashian, in embracing faux fur. The org says, "there's nothing uglier than stealing someone else's skin."

As you probably know, these poor animals are tortured ... often skinned alive. It's really awful.

PETA tells us they're encouraging Kylie to add Kylie Cosmetics to PETA's database of certified cruelty-free cosmetic companies ... even though Kylie Cosmetics already advertises they don't test products on animals.

Diddy treated his mother to a lavish dinner party to celebrate achieving 80 years ... topped off with a boatload of cash and a new whip for her too.

The music mogul threw the fancy 80th birthday bash at an L.A. mansion Monday night for his mom, Janice, culminating with him handing her a big ol' check for $1 million ... which appeared to overwhelm her.

Diddy was just getting started with the gifts fit for the rich and famous, though -- because then he walked her out to the driveway ... and there was a brand new Bentley waiting for her.

Pretty epic move by Janice's son, who also had "Happy 80 Birthday" spelled out alongside the swimming pool outside ... just for good measure.

Diddy's party was even more special because Janice shares a bday with his twin daughters, D'Lila and Jessie, who turned 14.

The only downside to the affair was the large amount of maskless people in close proximity as COVID cases surge in L.A. County. It's likely the guests were tested beforehand, so we won't be party poopers.

If you saw an extra bright star in the sky Monday evening, you're not alone -- our Solar System's 2 biggest planets crossed paths ... closer than they've been since the year 1226!!!

Monday's winter solstice -- the longest night of the year -- happened to coincide with a rare celestial occurrence star-gazers call the Great Conjunction, when Jupiter and Saturn align in their respective orbits around the sun ... only this time, they got extra cozy in space.

While Jupiter will pass Saturn every 20 years, the last the gas planets appeared as together as they do this right now was some 800 years ago. That time, they nestled up too close to the sun, so hardly anybody could see. Now, they're crystal clear in the night sky.

It's a rare, cool thing ... one that's colloquially been called the "Christmas Star" -- y'know, from the Bible and all. The planets might look conjoined to the naked eye, but even then -- they're about one-tenth of a degree apart from our vantage point.

Up there, though, they're really hundreds of millions of miles apart. Still, there's no way you could've missed their closest point Monday if you looked to the southwest shortly after sunset ... assuming weather conditions allowed for a peek. Tons of folks snagged photos too.

Jupiter and Saturn will remain in close proximity for the remainder of the month, but after that, they'll drift back apart to their usual distance.

Helen Keller might be coming under fire for her white privilege -- but an institution bearing her name thinks that's a misguided view of Helen's history, and wants to change the conversation.

Sue Pilkilton, director of the Helen Keller Birthplace Museum in Tuscumbia, AL (THE all-things-Helen-Keller spot in the country) tells TMZ people shouldn't be focusing on Helen's skin color ... but more so on her accomplishments, and all the good she did for others.

She says Helen's legacy is tied to activism, education and breaking barriers for hearing and sight-impaired people of all races, genders and status -- and all the chatter about white privilege detracts from her life's work.

It's interesting ... the Museum goes on to say that because Helen overcame so much despite her disabilities it pretty much overshadows her skin color, which the Museum believes shouldn't be the benchmark on how we talk about her.

Here's another thing -- Sue tells us speculation Helen was wealthy or came from a family of great means is a misconception ... explaining that, yes, her family did receive income from a cotton plantation -- but they were far from aristocrats or big ballers.

The point Black disability rights advocate Anita Cameron made over the weekend -- to mixed reaction -- was that, money aside, Helen was likely patched through to the right people as a result of being white ... whether she knew it or not. For what it's worth, the museum thinks that would be an inaccurate headline for her life.

Pilkilton says much of Helen's schooling and education was facilitated by charitable orgs and other philanthropic folks who saw potential in her ... and the museum feels like her white privilege had little if anything to do with that.

It's a road rage incident straight outta the movies, but a Canadian woman thought she was gonna die for real when this truck driver repeatedly slammed into her tiny sedan.

The terror went down in Winnipeg when a woman named Kiana Jobo said this guy in a Chevy Colorado pickup truck boxed her in at an intersection and got extremely aggressive before following her and ramming her Hyundai.

You can hear Kiana's panic, understandably, in the video her passenger recorded ... you see the truck coming at her from all sides, and at one point her passenger window shatters prompting Kiana's friend to yell, "This guy's trying to kill us!"

Kiana says he hit her so hard she slammed into parked cars ... before she was finally able to escape by speeding away and blowing through stop signs. She did report him to cops who say he'll be charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle.

What sparked this madness? Kiana says the truck driver got pissed because she inched up too close behind him in an intersection where she was trying to make a left. From there she says he started "honking his horn and flipping me off,"

How does Blueface prepare for a lunch date with singer Coi Leray? He wings it!!! (Ba-dum-tss).

The "Respect My Cryppin'" rapper and "Slide" singer hit up Harold's Chicken in Hollywood last weekend and appeared to be digging each other's company on this lunch date.

We're told no one else was at the chicken joint, made famous in Chi-Town, so the celebs had no interruptions. Good thing, because they appeared to be in a very flirty mood.

No shocker on what they ate ... we're told they chowed down on a plate of chicken. It's Harold's, after all. If these crazy kids end up a couple ... add them to the list of rising power couples. Coi's enjoyed recent success as a singer with huge collaborations that include tracks with rappers Gunna and Fetty Wap.

In fact ... just a few months ago Coi's "Slide" music video featuring Gunna dropped, and so far it's racked up 5 million-plus views.

James Harden is too good of a talent to trade away just 'cause he's unhappy ... so says Kenny "The Jet" Smith ... who tells TMZ Sports the Rockets have to find a way to make things work with the superstar.

Houston has been trying to part ways with Harden for weeks ... after the 31-year-old baller expressed desires to play elsewhere earlier in the offseason.

Of course, after Harden's highly publicized trips to Atlanta and Las Vegas at the start of Rockets training camp, it appeared a breakup was on the horizon.

But, the "Inside The NBA" analyst -- who played in H-Town from 1990-96 -- tells us Houston should NOT give in to Harden's wishes ... and says the team needs to fix their relationship with the All-Star.

"Nah, I'm not trading my best player if he's not happy," Smith says. "He's gotta have a better reason. You gotta have a better reason."

"He's too good to just trade because he's not happy."

Smith adds the only way the Rockets should consider trading The Beard is if they get a player of the same talent level like Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James or Anthony Davis in return ... but let's be honest -- that ain't happening.

"James Harden is a player that doesn't come around every 10 years. So, you need a guy who doesn't come around every 10 years to match that."

Smith has a solution -- saying the front office has to sit down with Harden and break down their plan to bring the Larry O'Brien trophy back to Houston.

Before this petite pilot was a member of one of the most popular rap groups in history, he was just another Christmas kid opening his presents in Los Angeles, California.

This gifted guy is best known for adding some of the most iconic lyrics straight out of the biggest hip-hop songs. Shifting to the movie industry years later, he showed off his natural acting ability and even gained notoriety for co-writing the hilarious film named after a favorite day of the week.

He was born O'Shea, but you may know him better by his chill stage name.

Former Playboy model Victoria Valentino didn't think twice after seeing a gunshot victim lying in her street ... rushing to action and playing nurse until paramedics arrived.

Victoria tells TMZ ... she was sitting in her Altadena, CA home Sunday afternoon when she heard what sounded like a bunch of quick firecrackers -- cops say it was a shooting -- and went outside to discover a neighbor down on the ground.

VV says the man had gunshot wounds, including one in his shoulder, and he was turning gray and going into shock ... so she used her experience as a retired hospice and respiratory nurse, raising his leg to keep blood flowing to the heart and brain.

Victoria, the September 1963 Playmate and a Bill Cosby rape accuser and survivor, says the gunshot victim's wife was by his side too ... and they did what they could to keep him calm until paramedics arrived and took over. She says it's just what nurses do.

A couple of guys came to blows in a barbershop when they disagreed about who was in line first -- and the wild fight video is more evidence of short fuses in a long pandemic.

This melee unfolded at a place called Hayden's Barbershop in Perth, Australia -- where a 30-something reportedly didn't wait his turn for a trim, and plopped down in the barber's chair ahead of another man who was waiting ... and, obviously, not happy about it.

In footage obtained by Australia's 9 News ... you see that, at first, the older man gets up and makes his frustration known to the younger guy, who argues back but eventually gives up the seat. As the older man takes his place, the chirping continues ... until it fully erupts.

The younger man -- who was later charged with assault for this November brawl -- finally swatted the older fella upside his head, and all hell broke loose from there.

Both men were throwing haymakers at each other as the rest of the guys tried to break it up -- and just when it looked to be over ... the fighting spilled into the parking lot, where more punches were thrown.

Prince Jackson brought 25 kids to Mattel for a shopping spree and told them ... don't stop 'til you get enough!!!

Michael Jackson's son, along with his Heal L.A. Foundation, gifted 25 underprivileged kids $150 to spend on themselves and their families, just in time for Christmas. The shopping spree went down at Mattel's headquarters near LAX ... and the kids were grinning from ear to ear as it all unfolded.

The kids got to pick anything they wanted from the toy inventory ... from Baby Yodas and Barbies to Polly Pockets and on and on. And, get this ... if whatever was rung up at the register totaled more than $150, Mattel automatically activated a 50% off coupon.

Prince really gets into the spirit of giving ... from helping kids find the coolest and baddest toys, to hauling huge bags out of the store for the kiddos. The event was COVID-safe -- social distancing, masks, the works.

Giving back with his foundation's nothing new for Prince. Earlier this year, he and the Foundation handed out free meals in L.A. and currently offer weekly grab-n-go meals.