Just under a year prior, on October 26, 1985, a player from The Citadel named Marc Buoniconti suffered paralysis while tackling an opponent in a game against East Tennessee State.
He experienced a dislocation of his C3 and C4 vertebrae along with a severe spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.
Following this, Buoniconti underwent vertebrae fusion surgery to stabilize his neck and began an extensive rehabilitation process that involved learning to breathe without a ventilator and operating a breath-controlled wheelchair.
Marc’s father, Nick Buoniconti, a Hall-of-Fame linebacker for both the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins and a well-known co-host of HBO’s “Inside the NFL,” acted quickly. By the end of 1985, he helped establish the Miami Project alongside Dr. Barth A. Green, a neurosurgeon specializing in spinal cord injuries.
The Greatest Sports Legends Dinner has since become the primary event for the organization to raise both awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research. It’s fitting, then, that the inaugural event honored Muhammad Ali, known as “The Greatest.”
Marc Buoniconti shared with The Post, “I had the privilege of knowing Muhammad for quite some time. We had a rapport even before the dinner. My dad knew Ali’s trainer, Angelo Dundee, which made it a natural connection for us.”
Photos from that evening depict Ali engaging with Marc and Nick, as well as notable figures like President Nixon, Joe Namath, and Bob Cousy.
“What an incredible guy, so personable and friendly,” Marc recalled. “He was genuinely excited to be involved and really helped elevate the profile of the Buoniconti family and the Miami Project.”
On Monday night at the Hilton in Midtown, the organization, built from a father’s dedication to his son, will honor its first father-daughter duo. Undefeated boxing champion Laila Ali will be among the award recipients, joined by Shane Battier, Chris Webber, Rob Gronkowski, Andruw Jones, Shaun White, and more.
“I’ve worked extremely hard to craft my own identity and path, but I will always take pride in being my father’s daughter,” Laila told The Post. “Being recognized as the only father-daughter pair to receive this honor 40 years apart is significant to me.”
“Our journeys are quite different, and our legacies stand on their own, but we share the same commitment to excellence. It’s a privilege to use my platform in a way that intersects with those legacies.”
Laila emphasizes the importance of the Miami Project and the Buoniconti Fund, especially considering Muhammad Ali’s own battle with Parkinson’s disease. The organization not only researches spinal injuries but also looks into neurological diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, CTE, and more.
Throughout her boxing career from 1999 to 2007, Laila Ali maintained an impressive record of 24-0 with 21 knockouts. Yet, she acknowledges that there were impacts to her health. A neurologist’s examination revealed concussions she wasn’t even aware she had.
“So much happens in the gym, not just during the fights. I’ve never lost a match, but I was sparring with stronger opponents for years,” she noted. “Getting hit in the head, regardless of your strength, is never ideal.”
At 48, Laila resides near Atlanta with her husband, Curtis Conway, a former wide receiver for the Bears and Jets, along with their two children: 18-year-old Curtis Jr., who resembles his grandfather, and 15-year-old Sydney, who is athletic but doesn’t pursue competitive sports.
“This has been a bit of a challenge since we’re quite competitive as a family,” Laila said. “However, we never pressured our kids into sports for the sake of making them athletes. It’s more about the character and discipline that sports instills. Sydney played until she was 14, and then she chose her own path, leaning towards artistry.”
Laila admits she never followed football and only realized Curtis was a player after they met. While they didn’t discourage their children from participating in contact sports, it just didn’t turn out that way.
“I wouldn’t prevent them from pursuing what they want to do, just like I did,” she added. “As athletes, we know the potential dangers of our sports. Football and boxing have well-known risks, primarily the impact to the head.”
Recently, Laila published her first children’s book, “A Spark of Greatness: The Autobiography of a Fighter.”
“I aimed it at kids aged 4-8, sharing my boxing journey specifically as Muhammad Ali’s daughter, touching on hard work, dedication, and discipline. The book focuses on confidence, courage, curiosity, and character building.”
Tickets for Monday night’s event are still available.
