The Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund

Last week I emceed an event that has left a lasting effect on me. The event was the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund. Carol died of breast cancer in 2003 and the event in it's 6th year, raises money for breast cancer support groups, HIV & Aids support groups, and education for Urban Youth. All of these causes were tremendously important to Carol.

The event is put on by friends of Carol's and lots of volunteers. But it is the men that Carol left behind that make this fundraiser so memorable, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., her late husband, and her two sons, Larry jr., of the Arizona Cardinals, and her youngest Marcus.

Larry Sr. has been working in sports media for more than thirty years. He is a writer and editor for the Spokesman-Recorder and is also heard on KMOJ and on Almanac. During the event a video gave a look inside the Fitzgerald family, a family with two working parents who wanted their young boys kept busy during the day in a quality learning environment. They found a program called Success by Six which prepares kids to be academically prepared to start kindergarden.

The Fitzgerald's who were both involved parents have raised two smart, productive and caring men. They realized that they didn't do it alone and it is programs like Success by Six that allow working parents to provide for their families without jeopardizing their education. Having seen the impact on her own children, this would become an important initiative for Carol in supporting education for urban youth.

Larry Jr. a wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals is considered one of the best in the game. As fun as it is to watch Larry pull in a catch on the field, it was even more impressive to hear him speak about his mother whom he lost during his senior year at Pittsburgh. Larry and his brother Marcus told stories of their mom who they both considered their best friend. A women who gave of herself unselfishly, even when she was in the hospital she made time for a friend who was down the hall.

There were many athletes on hand at the event to help raise money. Vikings Pat Williams and Ray Edwards were a few of the personalities. Jordan Sparks of American Idol, a friend of the Fitzgerald's sang at the event. But what struck me most was how the men in Carol's life continue to honor her by helping others, the exact way that she lived her life and raised her boys.