On Sunday October 28, the CBS Backlot in Studio City was having a party. The party was for a FUNdraiser for a cure for cancer. Everyone who came was there to support the TJ Martell Foundation.
Lots of special guest were in attendance: Cody Simpson performed for the crowd and his sister Ali was there to support him. IM5 Boy Band also performed. Lisa Vanderpump, Mario Lopez and family, Kevin Weaver, vp Atlantic Records, Rober Earl, Planet Hollywood, PJ Bloom, Jake T. Austin, Ryan Ochoa, Lia Marie Johnson, Zach Callison, Olivia Holt, Rico Rodriguez, who also hosted the event, Julianna and Jennesa Rose, Zachary Alexander Rice, Luke Benward, Dylan Snyder, Billy Unger, Eric Unger, Haley Pullos, Brandon and Savannah Hudson, Teela Dunn, and lots more.
In 1973, a high school student named T.J. Martell was battling leukemia. He asked his father, music industry executive Tony Martell, to raise a million dollars for cancer research so that “no one else will have to experience what I am going through.” Although he had no fundraising experience, Tony agreed.
Two years later, T.J. died at the age of nineteen, and as Tony explains today, “that put my promise in cement.” Soon after, Tony was joined by many of his musician friends like Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington to hold a fundraiser at Buddy Rich’s nightclub in New York. They raised $50,000 and the T.J. Martell Foundation was born.
YOUNG HOLLYWOOD LIFE 