LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Michael Strahan, Danny Hurley, Hannah Storm, Nancy Lieberman and Todd Golden were the headliners Friday in Sarasota, Florida, at the 20th annual Dick Vitale Gala fundraiser to battle pediatric cancer.
There were plenty of Super Bowl, NCAA and NBA championship rings in the house as Vitale and his tireless team raised more than $12.5 million, taking the two-decade total to more than $105 million.
But the first story that captivated more than 1,000 people at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel was the story from Louisville. It was the story of Britt Redman, the football receiver from Christian Academy in Louisville, who defeated testicular cancer while winning three Kentucky state titles.
"Britt was terrific," said Vitale, the legendary ESPN sportscaster. "After we showed the video of everything he battled — losing all that weight and then coming back to win another state championship — everybody in the room was cheering.
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"Then he gave a great speech. He did a perfect job of setting the tone of what the night was all about."
Redman is the son of Ashley and Chris Redman. His dad played quarterback for Male High School, the University of Louisville and in the NFL. His younger sister, Josie, also watched Britt accept his spot on Vitale's All-Courageous team.
"The nervous part was the night before when they texted me and asked if I would mind speaking to 1,000 people," Britt Redman said. "But once I got up there, it kind of flowed pretty well."
Redman's message?
"It was mainly about how everybody has to be warriors throughout the whole process," he said. "You go through things that you really don't know about until you go through the process and your family goes through it with you.
"Just trust in God and know that he has a plan for you. Think positive and about the bright side of things more than the negative.
"I knew it was going to test my strength. But God put me through it because I'm a fighter and he wanted me to have a great story to tell from this."
"They showed a video of Britt's story to open the night and then his spoke," Chris Redman said. "He just knocked it out of the park. He was impressive."
Impressive, courageous and inspiring.
Don't forget the courageous and inspiring parts of Redman's story. He's 18, about to graduate from Christian Academy and enroll at the University of Mississippi, where he plans to earn a business degree in real estate.
He will not play football. His career ended last Dec. 7 when Christian Academy defeated Union County for the school's third consecutive Class 3A title. But there were days when Redman wondered how his football career and life would unfold.
He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in November 2023. He missed the last month of his junior season. Redman underwent six surgeries and four rounds of chemotherapy, treatment that ended March 1, 2024. He's been cancer-free for more than 14 months.
Friday night was a celebration of what the entire Redman Family has overcome in the last 18 months. With the assistance of WLKY Sports Director Kent Taylor, Chris Redman met Vitale last Sept. 28 in South Bend, Indiana, when Louisville played football at Notre Dame.
He shared his son's story with Vitale, a determined cancer survivor. Vitale and his wife, Lorraine, have worked relentlessly to grown the gala from an event that raised $250,000 the first year to one of the top fund-raising events in the nation.
Vitale, who will turn 86 next month and just earned another three-year extension to his ESPN contract, invited the Redmans to participate in the gala. As a member of the All-Courageous team, Redman will be welcome every year.
Chris Redman reminded Strahan that he was the reserve quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens squad that defeated Strahan and the New York Giants, 34-7, in the 2001 Super Bowl. Strahan, now a host on "Good Morning, America," and others signed a souvenir football for Britt.
Former NFL cornerback Ronde Barber stepped in and reminded Redman that he once intercepted one of his passes. Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari was there. So was Tennessee coach Rick Barnes. Golden brought several players from Florida's 2025 NCAA title team. Former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer supported the cause as did ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.
"It was just really special," Britt Redman said. "Just a big thank you to the Vitale Family for having me be a part of such a great event for a great cause."
Just as the Vitales have given, the Redmans also plan to give.
"Honestly, as bad as it seemed (in 2023) there are so many positives that have come out of it and Britt can now help others," Chris Redman said.
Britt is starting a foundation, which he named Grit Like Britt. He hopes to partner with the V Foundation. There are plans for a golf tournament to raise money to purchase video games and Amazon cards to distribute to children who are hospitalized during their cancer fights.
"What a great young man and a lovely family," Dick Vitale said. "I'm so thrilled we were able to honor Britt."
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