THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 10, 1996 TAG: 9604100510
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Nick Buoniconti specialized in knocking people to the ground. After all, he was an all-pro linebacker for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins in the 1960s and '70s.
But there was something he reiterated to the children at the Boys & Girls Club 8th annual Steak & Burger Dinner Tuesday evening about getting knocked down.
``It's not important if you get knocked down on the ground but it's important if you get up off the ground,'' Buoniconti, sporting his 1972 Dolphin Super Bowl ring, said at the Waterside Marriott.
``Winners don't stay on the ground.''
Off the field, Buoniconti knows a lot about getting knocked down. He looks no further than the violent blow his son, Marc, suffered nearly 11 years ago.
Marc Buoniconti was paralyzed from the neck down after making a tackle for The Citadel in 1985.
Marc breathed through a respirator for eight months after the injury and is still unable to use any of his limbs below his shoulders.
However, the youngest of Nick's three children has not given up on life.
He's pursuing a masters degree in psychology at the University of Miami and goes to fund-raisers to cure paralysis.
``Marc is what I consider the epitome of a winner,'' Nick said of his 29-year-old son. ``Today, Marc is probably a better person than before he got hurt.
``Marc never looks back. Marc never complains about getting hurt.''
Nor has Nick stopped living.
Nick is the vice president and chief operating officer of Columbia Laboratories, a pharmaceuticals company.
He also has an annual fund-raiser in New York, the Sports Legend Dinner, in which the proceeds go to the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
He said the dinners nets nearly a $1 million a year for research.
And in addition to those two time-consuming activities, Nick is going into his 18th year on HBO's ``Inside the NFL'' as a co-host with Len Dawson and Cris Collinsworth.
Tuesday's dinner, which raised around $103,000, drew a crowd of more than 750 according to dinner chairman David Harris.
Three children sat at each table with employees and representatives of the various companies that helped sponsor the dinner.
``It's really great to see this room full with the people of the community,'' Joseph Leafe, honorary chairman of the dinner said. ``The most important being the members of the Boys & Girls Club.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Nick Buoniconti on his paralyzed son: ``Marc is probably a better
person than before he got hurt.''
by CNB