Without warning, life can change in an instant…On February 6, 2010, Anthony Purcell dove into Miami Beach waters and didn’t come back up. He landed on a sandbar, tragically breaking his neck and bruising his C5 and C6 vertebrae – leaving him paralyzed. Determined to beat the odds, Anthony quickly began intense rehabilitation which helped him get stronger, healthier, more independent and come closer to his goal of being able to walk again. As a result of his experience, Anthony and his mother, Micki Purcell, created Walking With Anthony, a foundation to help give others with SCI the same chance at recovery. The non-profit is dedicated to raising funds to provide financial assistance for SCI victims, expand rehabilitation centers and support research relating to SCI rehabilitation.
On November 2nd from 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., Walking With Anthony, will host its first annual South Florida “Movement for Change: It’s Time to Soar” fundraising event in Hangar 9 at the Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport. The fabulous evening of dinner, dancing and silent/live auctions, will honor Anthony’s surgeon – Dr. Allan Levi, Chief of Neurospine Service and Fellowship Director at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, for his on-going efforts and dedication to helping and healing individuals with spinal cord injuries. EXTRA Special Correspondent and Y-100’s own Michael Yo from “The Yo Show” will serve as Master of Ceremonies, and musical guest FUSION will keep the energy flowing throughout the night. The evening will also feature private jet tours and an onsite raffle for a helicopter ride over Miami that night. Anthony Purcell, Executive Director of Walking With Anthony, his mother Micki Purcell, Founder and President, and other notables will also be in attendance. Event sponsors include Global Cash Card, SmartWater, Inspirato, Runway Jet Café, Silver Lining Catering, and ONEHOPE Wines.
In addition to honoring Dr. Levi, Walking With Anthony will also present financial grants to two local Ft. Lauderdale heroes – Nick Williams and Chris Hickox – so they can attend the Project Walk Spinal Cord Injury Rehab in Carlsbad, CA, the rehabilitation center that Anthony attends for treatment. Similar to Anthony, both Williams and Hickox, were students at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale. A car accident in 2008 left Williams, a former high school volleyball stand-out, paralyzed from the waist down; and an ATV accident in 2009 left Hickox with a serious spinal cord injury. Both young men have endured and continue to undergo extensive rehabilitation therapy to regain their motor skills.
Tickets for “Movement for Change: It’s Time to Soar” benefiting Walking With Anthony are $200.00 and reserved tables for 10 are $3500 (which includes bottle service and a butler). 100% of all donations will benefit those who desperately need support on their way to recovery. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.walkingwithanthony.org or call 866.954.3344.