If you know football, you know Nick Buoniconti.  The legendary linebacker has racked up season after season of awards and notable recognitions.  Not only was he named rookie of the year during his NFL debut year for the Patriots in 1962 and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001, he was also part of the record-making season in which the Miami Dolphins played an undefeated season in 1972, a record which has the potential to be tied by the Patriots this season. Personally and professionally, Nick Buoniconti has spent decades compiling a winning record.

Nick was always a family man, despite his busy football career.  His two sons, Marc and Nick Jr., both followed in their father’s footsteps and played for successful college teams, despite their father’s insistence that they didn’t need to play football.  Juggling two sons’ football schedules wasn’t easy—Nick was constantly traveling between college campuses. 

Then one rare weekend where both sons were playing away games, Nick was relaxing with his wife in southern New Jersey, sipping champagne.  In the middle of that beautiful afternoon, Nick got the call that changed his family’s life forever.

Spinal Cord Injury
Marc had sustained a spinal cord injury while playing for The Citadel, South Carolina’s military college.  Feeling the hit, Marc remembers, he knew he would be paralyzed.  Nick and his wife rushed to the hospital where Marc was being treated, the doctor’s words, “your son will be a quadriplegic forever, if he lives” ringing in their ears.  When they arrived they found Marc in traction with tubes going in and out of his body, “Marc looked up at me with his big brown eyes; his eyes said, ‘dad, please help me,’ “Nick remembers, “and for the first time in my life, I couldn’t help my son.” 

SCI Research
But in fact, he quickly discovered, he could help not only Marc but countless others like him with spinal cord injuries. He quickly learned that there was little research being done in the area of spinal cord injury cures.  To address this lack, In 1985, Nick cofounded the Miami Project with renowned spinal cord expert Barth A. Green, M.D., and two other families who had experienced spinal cord injury in their own families. 

Funding the Miami Project
Because of his fame and visibility as a highly respected professional athlete, Nick took it upon himself to ensure that the Miami Project would never be short of funding.  Today Nick and Marc travel all over the country speaking and promoting the Miami Project, an important job since the research initiative costs roughly $45,000 per day to fund.

Nick believes that a cure for spinal cord injury will be discovered.  However, he is realistic about his hope.  When asked if he thinks Marc will be cured within his lifetime, he is doubtful.  “I don’t think Marc will jump out of his chair and run, but it’s likely he will gain some function in his hands and arms within his lifetime.  If he could just shake hands, push himself around, and give a hug, that would be monumental."