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7800 W. Oakland Park Boulevard
Building F
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Sunrise, FL 33351
Phone: (954) 677-0155
Fax: (954) 677-0773

Dade and Broward County Injury News

Broward Fundraiser Held for Man Hurt in Car Crash by Hulk Hogan’s Son

Posted on Nov 25, 2008

A fundraiser was held last week to benefit John Graziano, 23, the passenger who was seriously injured in a car accident with Hulk Hogan’s son. Hogan was a wrestling superstar in the 1980s and 1990s. He now has his own reality television show on VH1.

Hogan’s son, Nick Bollea, 17, was driving his Toyota Supra when he smashed into a palm tree. Local police described the accident scene as “spectacular.”

According to Wayne Shelor, a spokesman for the Clearwater police, Bollea was driving at a “high rate of speed” when he lost control of his yellow Supra. The car left the roadway, jumped a median and crashed into a palm tree just east of downtown.

Firefighters had to extract Bollea and Graziano from the wreckage. Both men were flown by helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center. Bollea was later discharged from the hospital, but Graziano sustained irreversible brain damage and will require a lifetime of medical care.

The fundraiser was held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The event took place from 8:00 to 11:00 PM and featured appearances by former and present players from the Florida Panthers, Miami Heat and the Miami Dolphins. The organizer was George “Tako” Maniatakos, a Southwest Ranches resident.

Tako was quoted as saying, “This is not about anything but helping a family in need.”

A variety of sports memorabilia was auctioned during the fundraiser, which included such items as a signed sneaker by basketball great Shaquille O’Neal and personal memorabilia donated by former Boston Red Sox superstar Mo Vaughn. The admission to the fundraiser was $20 and all proceeds went to John Graziano Foundation Inc.

Bollea was charged with reckless driving and sentenced to eight months in jail. His driving privileges were revoked for three years and he will have to serve five years’ probation.

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David M. Benenfeld, P.A.
7800 W. Oakland Park Boulevard
Building F
Suite 216
Sunrise, FL 33351
Phone: (954) 677-0155
Fax: (954) 677-0773
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