Mark OToole Benefit
A "Lovefest" to
a Wonderful Entertainer
For those of you who were not able to attend the Mark OToole Benefit at the Rampart last Wednesday afternoon, entertainer after entertainer joined in the tribute giving to a "friend in need."
Hosted by Kelly Clinton
Holmes...
... if you would like to see some of the entertainers who were happy to perform for Mark, by the magic of YouTube.com, you can relive some of those moments.
Some of these wonderful performances
included....
Gary
Anthony
Mark Giovi
Michael
Grimm
(America's Got
Talent Winner)
Vita Corimbi Drew
Other performers
included:
Bobby Brooks
Wilson
Rob
Garrett
Lisa
Gay
Jazzin' Jeannie
Brei
Michael Monge
Joey Denunzio
..and if we missed a few, we
apologize !
You can see the entire benefit
show on Mark OToole's Facebook page
!
The fundraiser was a financial
success as well, but the highlight of the afternoon came from Mark OToole himself by way of a heartfelt note he had
written, and delivered to the audience by his beloved spouse,
Chad....
...while Mark viewed the
benefit from his home via live stream.
Mark has asked me to share these
words with you and all of those in Sun City Anthem and the Anthem communities
who have tirelessly supported him over the years.
HI FRIENDS,
THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAN I’D LIKE, THAN TO BE THERE IN PERSON SO
I COULD GIVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU A HUGE HUG.
UNFORTUNATELY, I AM STILL NOT READY TO VENTURE OUT IN PUBLIC AND
PARTY LIKE A ROCK STAR YET.
IF I WAS, I WOULD BE ON THAT STAGE SINGING MY HEART OUT AND BEING
THE CLOWN THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE COME TO KNOW AND LOVE.
YES I SAID LOVE, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE ROOM TODAY, YOU
WILL SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE THAN FRIENDS TO EACH OTHER...
WE ARE TRULY A FAMILY. A FAMILY YOU MIGHT SEE ON JERRY SPRINGER,
BUT NONETHELESS A FAMILY....
...A FAMILY WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT EACH OTHER; A FAMILY WHO LAUGHS
AND ENJOYS LIFE TO THE FULLEST; AND IN TIMES OF NEED, THEY ARE JUST A PHONE
CALL AWAY, ASSURING YOU, IF THERE’S ANYTHING YOU NEED, THEY WILL BE THERE AT ANY
TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT.
WHEN I FOUND OUT IN 2007 THAT I HAD CANCER, IT CHANGED MY
LIFE.
I REMEMBER WHEN I BEAT IT, I THANKED GOD FOR MANY REASONS.
I WASN’T A BAD PERSON BEFORE I HAD CANCER, BUT IT MADE ME REALIZE
HOW IMPORTANT LIFE WAS, AND IT SHOWED ME HOW TO REALLY CARE, NOT IN WORDS, BUT
BY MY ACTIONS.
YOUR ACTIONS TODAY SHOW ME HOW FORTUNATE I
AM.
I AM TRULY BLESSED AND HUMBLED.
I WOULD LIKE AT THIS TIME TO THANK ALL THE MUSICIANS AND
PERFORMERS WHO HAVE GENEROUSLY GIVEN THEIR TIME TODAY, SO RIGHT NOW, PLEASE SHOW
THEM SOME LOVE AND APPRECIATION BY GIVING THEM A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THANK YOU TO THE RAMPART, WHO HAVE STOOD BY ME THROUGH THIS TRYING
TIME, AND EAGERLY WAITING MY RETURN.
MY WEDNESDAY NIGHTS HAVE NOT BEEN THE SAME.
I FIND MYSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, GOING DOWN TO THE
REFRIGERATOR, OPENING THE DOOR AND SINGING 4 HOURS TO THE LIGHT BULB.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT’S WITHOUT TAKING A
BREAK......
AND FINALLY, MY TWO BIGGEST THANKS GO OUT TO KATHY WOLFE, WHO PUT
THIS ENTIRE BENEFIT TOGETHER. THANK YOU KATHY FOR BEING A TRUE FRIEND, WHOSE
ACTIONS WERE NOT JUST WORDS....
AND LASTLY, MY SPOUSE, CHAD, WHO FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, HAS
LITERALLY PICKED ME UP WHEN I HAVE FALLEN, AND SHOWN ME WHAT UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
AND COMPASSION REALLY MEANS.
I CAN HONESTLY SAY, I THINK IF HE WASN’T BY MY
SIDE,
I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS TRYING TIME.
THANK YOU EVERYONE,
THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME, GOD WILLING, I WILL BE ON THAT STAGE, SINGING,
LAUGHING, AND DOING WHAT I LOVE TO DO, AND WHAT I WAS BORN TO
DO...
...AND THAT IS TO ENTERTAIN MY "FAMILY".
GOODNIGHT, AND I’LL SEE YOU IN MY
DREAMS.
MARK
OTOOLE
From all of us at Anthem Opinions,
we sincerely thank you for the contributions you made by either attending the
benefit, or sending them to us by mail.
God Bless all of
you.
Dick
Arendt
Anthem
Opinions
Want to say a word or two
about the benefit or to Mark OToole?
Send us your thoughts
to:
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