Footballers to help cancer-stricken mother Members of '86 and '90 Super Bowl Giants will aid family with Secaucus High fundraiser
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Impreveduto also learned that the cancer-stricken mother needs medications that cost $1,800 per month over what her insurance will pay.
"We had to do something to help her," Impreveduto said.
Impreveduto remembered a friendship he made with Byron Hunt, the former New York Giants' linebacker who was a member of the 1986 Super Bowl Champions. Hunt and Impreveduto became friendly a few years ago when Hunt was doing a sports talk radio show for WLIB-AM focusing on Giants and Jets football, originating from Houlihan's Restaurant in Secaucus.
"I contacted Pat and asked him if he could bring some of the student/athletes from the school to come to the show," Hunt said. "This way, they could come down and meet some of the current and former players we had on the show. I especially remember Jason Sehorn was a guest one day and he bought desserts for all the Secaucus kids."
Impreveduto and Hunt have remained friends ever since. When Impreveduto needed help, this time to raise money to help Jacklyn Petronzio, he didn't hesitate to contact Hunt.
"We call each other every now and then, and he always told me that if I ever needed him for anything, that I should call," Impreveduto said. "I told Byron of the situation and told him that we had to raise money."
Ironically, that's what Hunt currently does for a living.
Hunt is the driving force behind Byron Hunt Sports, a business that tries to organize events, using the popularity of the Giants' two Super Bowl championship teams.
"We take some former and current players and assist organizations in fundraisers," said Hunt, who played for eight years (1981-1988). "We work with churches, schools, but it works better when the community is involved."
Charity events
Hunt has organized charity softball and basketball games in the past, and will be the driving force behind a charity basketball game to be held Friday, March 28 (game time at 7 p.m.) at Secaucus High School. It's an event that will hopefully raise enough money to keep Jacklyn Petronzio as pain-free as possible.
The game will pit the Secaucus High School faculty against a team comprised of players from both of the Giants' Super Bowl champions. Hunt will be one of the players, as well as seven or eight others. Although he has yet to receive a commitment, Hunt is hopeful that Giant players like Joe Morris, O.J. Anderson, Stephen Baker, Bart Oates, Lee Rouson and Curtis McGriff will be there.
"I've contacted about 30 to 40 players, and we're hopeful to get anywhere up to 10 players to participate," Hunt said. "It should be a nice turnout."
Tickets for the game are priced at $10, or there is a ticket for $25 that will enable the ticket holder to attend a post-game buffet dinner and autograph session with the players.
Hunt realizes the popularity of the Giants in the metropolitan area, so he hopes to hold a variety of events to capitalize on the nostalgia craze. So far, Hunt has organized fishing trips and a series of autograph signings at Mickey Mantle's Restaurant in Nyack, N.Y., which 30 former Giants participated in over a span of 17 weeks.
"The one good thing is that the 1986 Giants team was very, very close," Hunt said. "A lot of close relationships developed with that team. I just wanted to find a way, through organized group showcases like golf tournaments and large dinners, to bring large groups of Giants players together within the Tri-State community."
Hunt also hopes to organize sports cruises with the Giants, giving fans a chance to meet their Super Bowl heroes up close and personal.
"It's almost like a reunion with each event," Hunt said.
Hunt said that doing a fund-raiser for a cancer victim especially hits close to home. He watched as two teammates, Doug Kotar and John Tuggle, both lost their lives to the disease, while another, Karl Nelson, successfully beat Hodgkin's disease.
"Doug Kotar was a tough, tenacious guy who really battled cancer and lost," Hunt said. "John Tuggle was a good friend of mine who played a lot like Doug. He was diagnosed and in nine months, he was gone. It means a lot to all of us."
Added Hunt, "It's really a lot of fun to be able to impact people's lives in a positive way."
Impreveduto said that he is working on getting other community people involved in the event. Mayor Dennis Elwell has pledged his support, and Impreveduto is hopeful to get other business leaders to step forward with donations and contributions to help the cause.
"If we can get anywhere between $5,000-to-$10,000, that would be great," Impreveduto said. "We always preach family values to our students, and we always try to show what family is all about. It's an unfortunate, sad situation, but I'm confident that everyone will bond together and get involved. It should be a fun event for a worthy cause."
For ticket or possible sponsorship information, please contact Impreveduto during business hours at (201) 974-2033. Please make all checks payable to Secaucus High School and the funds will be dedicated to the Petronzio family.
For further information about Byron Hunt Sports and its fund-raising efforts, log on to www.supergiantsroadshow.com.
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