Siegfried And Roy's Magical Return

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:13:01 -0000

Illusionist team Siegfried & Roy’s long awaited return to the stage has finally been scheduled, and will be their first performance since Roy was mauled by a tiger in 2003. The one-night only show, next February at the Keep Memory Alive (KMA) foundation’s “Power of Love” gala, will benefit the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute (LRBI) in Las Vegas.

Under construction since last year, the Institute will aim to provide the most current research and scientific information for the prevention, early detection, treatment, education, and support of memory disorders and neurodegenerative dementia diseases. LRBI plans to “house the world’s most powerful brain doctors”, and predicts that the cure for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Lou Gehrig’s disease will be discovered there.

High profile galas with big name guests play a major role in KMA’s fund raising, a strategy that has worked well for founder Larry Ruvo, who named LRBI after his father, a victim of Alzheimer’s. The twelfth gala, held in February this year, was attended by such celebrities as Muhammad Ali, Danny DeVito, Lorraine Bracco, Steve Schirripa, David Copperfield, Leeza Gibbons, Siegfried & Roy, and Teri Hatcher, whose lunch date was auctioned for thousands of dollars. Robin Leach played host, with performances by Michael Buble, and celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck, Guy Savoy, and Tom Colicchio.

“[We] are simply overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for the institute,” said Ruvo. “There are no words to express our deep gratitude for the generosity shown. It only deepens our resolve to build an institute that… the medical world will recognize as one of the finest of its kind.”

Nearly five years after the accident, despite still undergoing daily physiotherapy, Roy feels ready for the stage again and to support LRBI in a big way. Siegfried didn’t at first, as he told the Las Vegas Review Journal in December: “I was really not ready for it. All the doctors say what [Roy is] doing now is impossible.”

The tiger that dragged Roy by his neck, causing extensive blood loss and damage, was actually attempting to get him to safety after a fall. Unbeknownst to the animal, humans have substantially thinner hides than tigers.

“I’ve always said, ‘I am the magician and Roy is the magic,’” said Siegfried. “And Roy shows me every day the magic – the magic of life.”

The Lou Ruvo Brain Institute is expected to be finished next year.

Vegas Grand Prix Gala - By Invitation Only

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 16:26:28 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

An exclusive charity event at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas featured Tonight Show host Jay Leno and a performance by Jon Bon Jovi and Friends. The gala also featured international cuisine, appearances by Champ Car World Series drivers and A-list Hollywood celebrities.

Attendance fees for the invitation-only gala began at $5,000 for a table for ten, but the title “Pole Position” sponsorship cost $350,000 for three VIP tables.

The money raised will support Keep Memory Alive, a foundation for the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, an organisation that funds research into areas including Alzheimer, Huntington, Parkinson, ALS and memory disorders.

Boosting the fundraising, the gala featured a live auction with an accompanying high-end silent auction for such lots as fighter jet rides and exclusive holidays.

Look To The Stars News: Keep Memory Alive

Siegfried And Roy's Magical Return

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Vegas Grand Prix Gala - By Invitation Only

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