An Awe-Inspiring Evening

On Sept. 28, 2004, I attended the 19th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. It was an elaborate affair to benefit The Buoniconti Fund, the national fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. It was an awe-inspiring evening, one that put things in their proper perspective in regard to what's really important in life.

Marc Buoniconti, the son of Nick Buoniconti (a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played for the Miami Dolphins and hosted Inside the NFL on HBO for 20 years), is a big fan of the World Poker Tour. He contacted me in August about the possibility of organizing/hosting a charity poker tournament. He said he would be in Las Vegas over Labor Day weekend, and I met with him for two hours at that time. We talked about ways that we might involve the poker community to help raise money for The Buoniconti Fund.

Nick Buoniconti (left), Marc Buoniconti (center), and Mike Sexton

Nineteen years ago, when making a tackle as a freshman linebacker at the Citadel, Marc became paralyzed as a result of a spinal cord injury. How he endured it and succeeded in carrying on with his life is amazing. Being told he would never walk again or breathe without a respirator did not discourage him. With the help of his father, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis was founded. It is the largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center in the world, employing more than 200 scientists and technicians with a budget of almost $20 million a year.

Marc is an amazing guy, truly one of life's heroes. He moves around in his wheelchair by blowing through a straw. He needs an aide for everything, yet his enthusiasm for life, appreciation for those who give back, and dedication to helping find a cure for paralysis is mind-boggling. Marc invited me to New York to be his guest and sit at his table at the Great Sports Legends Dinner. I was honored to do so.

The purpose of the dinner was for everyone to enjoy a unique evening and to raise money to help cure paralysis. Prior to the dinner, adjacent rooms displayed sports paraphernalia, jewelry, and various items that were donated to the cause by individuals and corporate America. The 1,300 attendees milled around and bid on the items. That night, The Buoniconti Fund raised $2.6 million!

The master of ceremonies for the event was Tom Brokaw (NBC Nightly News). This year's honorees were former Heisman Trophy winner and recent inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Barry Sanders, golfing great Greg Norman, basketball star Robert Parish, soccer sensation Mia Hamm, baseball player Gary Carter, jockey Jerry Bailey, race car driver Michael Andretti, hockey player Cam Neely, and ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi. Singer Julio Iglesias was presented the humanitarian award.

Marc kicked off the proceedings by giving an incredible speech about real heroes in life. They included his family, those who give back to their communities and charities, and the researchers and doctors of The Miami Project who work tirelessly to find ways to cure paralysis. Marc made us realize how fragile life can be, and that when someone incurs a spinal cord injury, neither his life nor those of his family members will ever be the same again.

A film clip was shown of some who had incurred a spinal cord injury. One was a 3-year-old who in one instant was playing with friends, and in the next was paralyzed for life after falling off a table. Another was a 19-year-old model who was driving to a job (and was going to be on the cover of a magazine) when she was rear-ended, and her life was changed forever. Yet another was a successful businessman who was hit by a car when crossing the street by a guy who ran a red light. And then it showed Marc being helped out of bed, and being helped getting dressed, bathed, fed, and so on. (His struggle on a daily basis is more than most of us go through in a lifetime.) The message was clear: A spinal cord injury can happen anyplace, anytime, to anyone.

The honorees were then introduced. They spoke of courage, giving back, and love of family. Each of them was truly honored and humbled to be there, as were the rest of us. Most of them recognized how lucky they were to have avoided a spinal cord injury in their careers. Sanders spoke emotionally about teammate Mike Utley, whose paralyzing accident happened right in front of him. He was blocking on a play, and seconds later was taken off the field never to walk again. And jockey Jerry Bailey said that 56 of his peers are in a wheelchair.

Tom Brokaw, a generous, kind, warm human being and marvelous MC, then introduced Nick Buoniconti. He said, "Nick is not only a Hall of Fame football player, but more importantly, a Hall of Fame father and a Hall of Fame humanitarian." And he was exactly right. As Nick spoke, you realized what a loving, caring father he is and how his life is now dedicated to helping cure paralysis. Nick concluded by saying, "By helping, you will join that list of heroes who stand up for those who cannot."

It was a surprise and an honor when Tom Brokaw introduced me to the crowd that night. He said I was a professional poker player and a commentator on the World Poker Tour. He also mentioned briefly what a phenomenon poker has become. I've never been so proud to be a poker player.

I'll be more proud when the poker world starts having major charity events for worthwhile causes like The Buoniconti Fund – and you can count on that happening.

Take care.

Mike Sexton is the host for PartyPoker.com and a commentator on the World Poker Tour (which can be seen every Wednesday on the Travel Channel).