“Diva Dawn” Santucci, actress, model and old school biker raised donations for 7-year-old Aidan Jack Seeger by plunging in the freezing Atlantic, as promised in only tassels and a thong if she reached the $5,000 goal which was achieved on New Years Eve!
You may know Aidan’s parents, Bobby and Elisa Seeger of Indian Larry Motorcycles, Brooklyn, NY, but what you may not know is that “Indian Larry” Desmedt (1949-2004) was an active member of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club and this event continues to be an annual tradition for the Seeger family and friends.
June 2011, Aidan was diagnosed with a rare brain disease called Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). ALD is a rare, inherited disorder that untreated leads to progressive brain damage, failure of the adrenal glands and eventually death. He is currently in Duke University Children’s Hospital.,.
Dawn has originally planned to participate in the New Years Day festivities with Coney Island Polar Bears and then decided to add a twist by raising funds for Aidan. The more money she raised… the less clothing she would wear! When the $5,000 mark was met on New Year’s Eve, her outfit (or lack of) was set in stone.
Members of Aidan’s immediate family and friends came down to cheer her on and also joined her in running headlong into the waves. On exiting the ocean Aidan’s Grandfather, Ed, literally gave Dawn the Indian Larry hoodie-off-his-back thanking her for her brave efforts and commitment. As much as it looked like fun and games, she was serious about delivering what she promised to all of her supporters for Aidan’s fundraiser. Her enthusiasm was contagious, which resulted her image going viral in news stories around the world.
You can read more about Aidan’s story by clicking HERE. Please join Aidan’s Posse (which has 20,200+ members by clicking “LIKE” on Aidan JackSeegerFacebookPage.