CAF athletes gather on stage at the Heroes, Heart, and Hope gala. Photograph courtesy of CAF.
A record-breaking 800 supporters attended the fifth annual Celebration of Heroes, Heart, and Hope, held June 8 at The Waldorf=Astoria, New York, New York, and more than $1.4 million was raised to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF).
The gala celebrated those who rise above their circumstances, achieve the unthinkable, and influence a new generation, according to a CAF press release. Highlighted athletes included Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, a West Point, New York, graduate and Army football player who lost both of his legs to a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2007; Oscar “Blade Runner” Pistorius; and Kaela Cruz, a ten-year-old girl who lost her leg to cancer.
“Emotion and generosity were on full display at this year’s Heroes, Heart, and Hope gala,” said Virginia Tinley, executive director of CAF. “The incredible donations from our guests, sponsors, and those who provided auction items will have a direct, positive impact on the lives of physically challenged athletes for years to come.”
