Advertisement

Derek Jeter, Rick Barnes, Jim Kelly, Jeff Gordon honored at record-setting Dick Vitale Gala

doug fernandes, sarasota herald-tribune
·4 min read

SARASOTA - Josh Krulewitz thought he had a deal with Dick Vitale. Knowing how much the 84-year-old spoke at his annual galas, ESPN’s senior vice president of communications wanted Vitale to speak briefly on Friday at the press conference before the 19th Annual Dick Vitale Gala at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.

Not likely. But Vitale surely had enough voice left at the end of the four-hour event, when the biggest donation in the history of the galas put Vitale’s goal of $12 million for this gala into orbit. Mark Pentecost, the CEO of It Works!, who has donated several million dollars at past galas, made the stunning pledge to match Vitale’s goal, if he was able to reach it.

Vitale did, raising a total of $12.8 million. When Pentecost came through with the matching $12 million, it brought the amount raised to $24.8 million, $13 million more than last year, and brought the total generated at all the galas to $93.1 million.

ESPN's SportsCenter anchor Kevin Negandhi, Jim Kelly, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Derek Jeter, Baseball Hall of Fame, ESPN's Dick Vitale, college basketball analyst, NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, Rick Barnes, Tennessee Men's Head Basketball Coach and Chief Executive Officer of the V Foundation Shane Jacobson.
ESPN's SportsCenter anchor Kevin Negandhi, Jim Kelly, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Derek Jeter, Baseball Hall of Fame, ESPN's Dick Vitale, college basketball analyst, NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, Rick Barnes, Tennessee Men's Head Basketball Coach and Chief Executive Officer of the V Foundation Shane Jacobson.

Previously: Dick Vitale's 3-time battle with cancer chronicled in new book, featuring his All-Courageous Team

“I think this has truly become one of the great events in the country,” said Rick Barnes, men’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee and one of the night’s honorees. “And you can’t come here - and you talk about four hours - and leave and not be touched.”

Friday’s lineup of honorees was one of the strongest in the 19-year history of the gala. Besides Barnes, NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, who has fought off cancer four times, was joined by MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.

The night was devoted to Vitale’s “All-Courageous Team’’ of cancer survivors, all of whom sat directly in front of Vitale. One was a newcomer, Katy Price, a 16-year-old from Virginia who was put in contact with Vitale through her mom. She has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy for sarcomas in her leg and lungs. Katy reports she is cancer free.

“It is a little overwhelming,” she said of being among a room of cancer survivors. “But it’s a great privilege.”

Katy Price, of Virginia, has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy for sarcomas in her leg and lungs. Price, 16, reports she is cancer free. The 19th annual Dick Vitale Gala continues to raise awareness of children who have battled cancer over the years. The V Foundation has made major advances in pediatric cancer research and with your continued donations every penny goes toward more research. Dick Vitale's pediatric cancer fund now tops a whopping $93 million dollars generated over the last 19 years. For more details visit v.org to get involved because, 'It's awesome, baby!'

But perhaps the most poignant words were delivered by Kelly, the Hall of Fame quarterback, who lost four Super Bowls as quarterback of the Buffalo Bills. In 2013, he was diagnosed with cancer in his upper jaw. In 2018, after announcing the cancer had returned, Kelly had surgery to remove the cancer and reconstruct his upper jaw.

“When I was first diagnosed with cancer in 2013, I never thought in a million years I would be the one having to go through this,” he said. “I was one of those guys who went to four Super Bowls without winning, and all the injuries I’ve had in my career, and wondering why God would put me through this. And as I continued to grow and continue to go through things, I realized that God had a plan for me, and that was to be able to make a difference for others.

“My saying now is that I might have lost four Super Bowls, but I kicked cancer’s butt four times. Never give up. That phrase is my life has been there for a long time. Having a son born on my birthday, and seeing what he went through, and now he’s in heaven. I’ve been blessed because I have two daughters and a wife, and they never once walked into my hospital room with a frown on their faces.”

ESPN's SportsCenter anchor Kevin Negandhi looks on as NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, talks about beating cancer. The 19th annual Dick Vitale Gala continues to raise awareness of children who have battled cancer over the years. The V Foundation has made major advances in pediatric cancer research and with your continued donations every penny goes toward more research. Dick Vitale's pediatric cancer fund now tops a whopping $93 million dollars generated over the last 19 years. For more details visit v.org to get involved because, 'It's awesome, baby!'

More: Illinois man wins Dick Vitale's Super Sixteen Basketball Bash purchasing just one raffle ticket

Sitting with the others, Gordon admitted to being nervous. “When you’re a rookie driver, they put a yellow stripe on your back bumper,” he said. “You got to know I got a yellow stripe down my back.” In 1999, the 52-year-old established the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation to help support children with life-threatening and chronic illnesses. And in 2006, he opened the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital in Concord, N.C.

At the press conference, it was announced that Gordon’s Foundation had donated $1 million to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. “The work that the foundations do really complement each other,” Gordon said, “and I’ve admired Dick the V Foundation for the vision they have had.”

Jeter recalled Vitale coming to watch one of his first games as a professional baseball player. “And it was rookie ball, with like 10 people watching the game,” Jeter said. The two developed a friendship over the years, even if Vitale would sit near the Yankees dugout when they visited Tropicana Field to play the Tampa Bay Rays and root against the pinstripers.

Part of Dick Vitale's "All-Courageous Team" Weston Hermann, who has been diagnosed multiple times with brain cancer. The 19th annual Dick Vitale Gala continues to raise awareness of children who have battled cancer over the years. The V Foundation has made major advances in pediatric cancer research and with your continued donations every penny goes toward more research. Dick Vitale's pediatric cancer fund now tops a whopping $93 million dollars generated over the last 19 years. For more details visit v.org to get involved because, 'It's awesome, baby!'

“I have four young kids, 6, 5, 2 and 1,” he said. “I think cancer affects everyone, every family. I’ve had family members get it, and have lost good friends. I can’t say enough for what (this night) stands for.”

Vitale tried. “This is greatness you’re looking at,” he told onlookers at the press conference.

A few hours later, Vitale experienced greatness with his biggest gala haul ever.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 19th annual Dick Vitale Gala raises record $24.8 million to fight cancer