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August 9, 2004
The 16th Annual Celebrity Golf and
Tennis Tournament
Rudy Giuliani Speaks about Courage and Hope
at ATBF Tournament
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Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani listened closely to the heartfelt words and laughed easily at the affectionate banter of the speakers who preceded him at the dinner celebrating the 16th John Vanbiesbrouck Golf & Tennis Tournament to benefit the Alan T Brown Foundation to Cure paralysis. When it was the mayor's turn, it was obvious he got it.
Delivering an impromptu speech that tapped into the spirit of the occasion and the core values of ATBF, Mr. Giuliani praised Alan, his fellow attendees in wheelchairs and the Foundation's extended support family for their example of "courage and hope." Comparing paralysis victims to the firefighters, police and rescue workers who showed such bravery in the face of disaster on September 11, Mr. Giuliani said, "The courage that Alan has displayed — and every single other person here in a wheelchair — is exactly the same. Maybe it doesn't make as many headlines, maybe they don't give out medals for it...they should. It is exactly the same thing. It requires overcoming fear, overcoming pain, being able to deal with it...This is a tremendous human quality and it is really inspiring when you see it."
That's the spirit that drives The Alan T Brown Foundation and that annually draws its supporters back for what amounts to a family reunion. Golfers and tennis players enjoyed a beautiful day on August 9 at the Westchester Country Club, and the turnout was the best in three years since 9/11. Most of all this gathering served as a powerful reminder of all the good accomplished through the network of relationships ATBF has developed.
Proneuron Biotechnologies, which sponsored the dinner, has made progress in working to find a cure for paralysis with the aid of research funds contributed by ATBF. The recipient of ATBF's "Standing Tall" Award was Dr. Kristjan Ragnarsson, Chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Who has worked with Alan and the Foundation the past 16 years and is a member of its Medical Advisory Board.
"At Mt. Sinai, we tried to create a 'family' for those (paralysis victims) who don't have one," Dr. Ragnarsson said. "the Brown family has been instrumental in showing what can be done in the absence of a cure. Alan and his family refuse to believe a cure can't be found. It's the last frontier. We won't be able to cure it until we understand how the central nervous system works. This requires extensive and expensive work."
That's where celebrities come in, including this year's honorees Mike Francesa and Chris Russo of the popular "Mike and the Mad Dog" sports talk show on WFAN, and former New York Rangers goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, who originally suggested the idea of hosting a golf tournament fundraiser. Mr. Vanbiesbrouck said hi faithful association with the Foundation has taken its inspiration from Alan's fight and from the way his mother, Fran Brown, has been there to support so many people with spinal cord injuries, especially during the initial adjustment period.
Mike Francesa and Chris Russo have also been strong supporters of ATBF. "Mike & The Mad Dog" successfully auctioned off premium spots in their golf groups during an on-air auction and also assisted Rangers' TV play-by-play man Sam Rosen, master of ceremonies for the event, with a rousing auction at the Tournament Dinner.
Turning words into action is the difficult part, but that's what The Alan T Brown Foundation has been doing or the past 16 years, and there is no mistaking the determination of everyone in the ATBF family to complete the mission no matter how difficult the path ahead. As one who has witnessed tragedy and heroism on a grand scale, Mr. Giuliani understands better than most the resiliency of the human spirit.
"You shouldn't lose hope," Mr. Giuliani Said. "Human Beings have been able to accomplish miracles. Sometimes, just when you think things are worse, a miracle is right around the corner."
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