Simone Biles, Michael Jordan and Other US Sports Legends’ Contribution To Aid Incurable Paralysis Treatment Unearthed

As the French capital prepares to commemorate 100 days till the start of the Paris Games, another noble grandeur is scheduled in New York. The Buoniconti Fund 39th Great Sports Legends Dinner is scheduled to take place on September 30. It’s a premier fundraiser for the Miami Project, an initiative co-founded in 1985 by Dr. Barth A. Green and Pro Football Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti after Buoniconti’s son Marc suffered a spinal cord injury during a college football game.

The Miami Project works in advanced research and treatment for spinal cord injuries. A roster of Hall of Famers, gold medalists, international champions, and honorees gathers annually for the Sports Legends Dinners, lending their support to an admirable cause. The event, which is scheduled to take place at The New York Hilton Midtown Hotel this year, will once again bring together revered sportspersons. Here’s a picture of how the event has panned out over the years.

The Buoniconti Fund helps alleviate the suffering of paralysis patients. The foundation runs a recognized Center of Excellence with a group of 2175 scientists, researchers, clinicians, and support staff at the Leonard M. Miller Center at the University of Miami. Miami Project researchers are currently conducting clinical studies and trials in spinal cord injury. The commitment of several legendary sportspersons has helped the cause tremendously as it has raised more than $130 million over its 38-year history.

The event will have a silent auction and cocktail party before dinner, which is traditional for raising money for research into paralysis treatments. Interestingly, the Miami Project spent $4,211,872 in 2020 with $638,398 in liquid assets; this is evidence of the project’s continuing commitment. Let us now take a look at the sportspersons who have illuminated the event over all these years.

Revisiting great Sports Legends Dinner archives

Two of the greatest athletes of all time, Michael Jordan and Simone Biles have been the past honorees at the dinner. Michael Jordan has a long history of supporting deserving causes, and his participation in this occasion goes on to show his steady commitment. Jordan’s support resonates through the compassionate corridors, from earlier interactions at the Great Sports Legends Dinner to moving visits to the center with luminaries like Marc Buoniconti and Dan Marino back in 2016.

Coinciding with Jordan’s involvement, Simone Biles has contributed her voice to the project. Her presence at the 2017 gala created a ripple effect in the sports community, increasing awareness and a common goal. Simultaneously, Marc Buoniconti’s book “Undefeated: From Tragedy to Triumph” was published that same year, adding a moving story about a person’s path from hardship to recovery and capturing the indomitable spirit at the core of the paralysis cure movement.

Apart from them, the long list includes support from prominent faces such as Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Andre Agassi, Dwyane Wade, Lindsey Vonn, and Kelly Slater, among others.

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