Emceed by Bob Costas, Jerry Rice, Andre Agassi, Scottie Pippen, Joe Gibbs, Helio Castroneves, Richard “Goose” Gossage, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Angelo Dundee, Gabrielle Reece and Christine Lynn Honored
September 2008 — NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti and his son Marc hosted a sold out event, the 23rd Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner, at the Waldorf=Astoria to benefit The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. They were joined by sports heroes, philanthropic icons and business leaders who were out in full force to support paralysis research. The 2008 Great Sports Legend honorees were Jerry Rice, Andre Agassi, Scottie Pippen, Joe Gibbs, Helio Castroneves, Richard “Goose” Gossage, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Angelo Dundee and Gabrielle Reece. South Florida philanthropist Christine Lynn received The Buoniconti Fund Award. Special guest and emcee was sports broadcaster and Buoniconti Fund supporter, Bob Costas. The evening raised over $7 million for the spinal cord injury research programs at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
“This dinner and the support we continue to receive from the best of the best in sports, business, entertainment and philanthropy continues to raise my spirits and that of the researchers at The Miami Project. In turn, that support fuels research and raises the spirits of the millions worldwide who live daily with paralysis because we know that, with clinical trials on the horizon, the day will soon come when they will be raised up from their wheelchairs to walk side by side with us again,” said an emotional Nick Buoniconti.