Legend raises funds

By Nicol Jenkins
Special to the News

Naomi Dworkin stared in awe and gripped a photo in her hand as a football legend signed a bottle of his wine.

“Look at this picture of us,” said Dworkin, holding up a photograph of herself in costume with Dan Marino at a Halloween party in 1991.

Marino grinned thinking back to the memory.

At the same time, Dworkin said, “He looks as good today as he did back then.”

After that trip down memory lane, the former Miami Dolphins quarterback, who has a home in Parkland, continued to sign bottles of his new “Marino Estates Vintage 13” merlot wine for hundreds of fans at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza in Coral Springs.       

The wine bottles were sold for $23; all proceeds were donated by Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza to the Dan Marino Foundation.

 “I wanted to create my own wine label with the opportunity to make a difference,” said Marino, whose wine is sold at all Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza locations including in Coral Springs and Boca Raton, various supermarkets, and through individual distributors. 

Dan Marino and his wife Claire Marino established the Dan Marino Foundation in 1992 to support medical research, treatment, and outreach programs for children with chronic illnesses and developmental disabilities. The Foundation has raised over $22 million dollars to provide these programs and services that have benefited hundreds of thousands of children and families.

Marino says the main focus is on helping children with autism. He has a developmental center in Weston, which helps children with autism and that site will be celebrating its tenth anniversary next month.

“My son Michael was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, and I wanted to make a difference and help others,” Marino told the Boca Raton News. “Now my son is in college. He’s a miracle.”

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza owner Anthony Bruno says the restaurant’s mission is to give back to the community.

“We always open our doors to charity,” Bruno said. “And Parkland and Coral Springs residents have done a great job supporting us.”

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza President Nick Castaldo added, “We’re donating all proceeds of the sales of the Marino wine to the Dan Marino foundation. Nobody pulls a crowd like Dan Marino and Anthony’s packs people in as well. It’s a great combination.”

Besides Marino, radio personalities Footy and Paul Castronovo of the Paul and Young Ron Show and others were in attendance to support the cause.

Marino’s biggest fans also came out to support the charity. Tyler Toueg celebrated his 13th birthday eating Anthony’s pizza with family and getting Marino’s autograph.

“It was awesome,” said Toueg of meeting his idol.

Michael DeLello, 11, who got his football signed, said he also enjoyed meeting Marino.

“I’m a big fan,” he said.

Father and son Dennis and Jason Andra of Coral Springs also said they were Marino’s biggest supporters.

“He may be Dan Marino’s biggest fan,” said Dennis of his son Jason.