Celebrity Fight Night Honors Maria Shriver, Dr. Stacie and Richard Stephenson and Heroes of Las Vegas Shooting
Earlier this month, Celebrity Fight Night XXIV raised funds for a variety of charities including a new initiative to help support Barrow Neurological Institute’s Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders program.
Each year, the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation raises funds at its annual gala, Celebrity Fight Night. Country star Reba McEntire returned to the event in her 13th year as emcee and Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer David Foster returned for his 19th year as the event’s musical director.
Maria Shriver is an activist and research advocate in the area of Alzheimer’s and spoke about the devastation of neurological diseases. She was honored during the evening for her efforts, as were philanthropists Dr. Stacie and Richard Stephenson for their ongoing contributions to Alzheimer’s research. Additionally, police officer Tom McGrath and civilian Jonathan Smith were recognized with the Muhammad Ali Unsung Hero Award for their bravery in saving lives during the Las Vegas shooting last year.
The star-studded black tie event started off with an exciting red carpet, followed by a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner and then an engaging live auction that included luxury items such as tickets to the U.S. Open, a dinner with Reba McEntire at her home in Nashville, an international trip with Larry Fitzgerald, a trip to Steven Tyler’s private Maui estate and much more.
Musical entertainment for the evening included violinist Caroline Campbell, Brian McKnight, The London Essentials, Smokey Robinson, Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn, Kristin Chenoweth, Matteo Bocelli, “America’s Got Talent’s” Angelica Hale, and Steven Tyler with his Nashville band Loving Mary.
Additional celebrities participating in the event included Lonnie Ali, Bo Derek, Billy Crystal, Candace Cameron-Bure, Randy Jackson, Melissa Peterman, Nancy Lieberman, Gena Lee Nolin, Cale Hulse, Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly, Chris Rich, Tom Chambers and many more.
Sponsors for this year’s Celebrity Fight Night included “USA Today Sports,” Patron Spirits, M Group, Scenic Studios and Go Media Companies. Celebrity Fight Night Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1994 by long-time Arizona resident and businessman Jimmy Walker to support various charities.
Photo by Frazer Harrison Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night
