CHARACTER COUNTS

Larry Fitzgerald buying patrons’ meals to help ailing Scottsdale deli owner

Sep 17, 2018, 4:48 PM | Updated: Sep 18, 2018, 9:00 am

Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, gives a tribute during memorial service ...

Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, gives a tribute during memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York, Pool)

(AP Photo/Matt York, Pool)

Arizona Cardinals star receiver Larry Fitzgerald is picking up the meal tab Tuesday to help raise funds for a terminally ill Scottsdale deli owner.

Fitzgerald will pay for all orders at Casella’s Italian Delicatessen from noon to 5 p.m., and donations will be collected for Joe Casella and his family.

“I want to support Joe, his legacy and his family and I hope those that come in Tuesday will do the same by donating to support this man, his family and what they have and continue to represent,” Fitzgerald said in a news release.

Casella, 79, has terminal cancer. He and his wife, Tina, opened the restaurant on Granite Reef Road near McDonald Drive in 1977.

“We are touched by what Larry and others in the community doing for Joe,” Tina Casella said in the release.

“Joe touched so many lives during his 42 years of owning this shop. Now it’s an incredible feeling to see the community rallying around him and the good he stands for.”

Fitzgerald and teammates D.J. Foster and Christian Kirk plan to stop by during the day to thank patrons for their donations.

Foster and Kirk both played football at Saguaro High School, which is less than a mile from the deli. Casella has been a longtime supporter of the school’s teams.

Anybody who can’t make it by Casella’s during the event but wants to contribute can mail donations to the restaurant at 5905 N Granite Reef Rd., Scottsdale, Arizona, 85250.

Presented By
Western Governors University

Character Counts

Paris Johnson Jr. looks on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Paris Johnson Jr. eyeing ways to extend his foundation’s reach in Arizona

Don't let his age fool you, Cardinals offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. is no stranger to giving back to the communities around him.

9 days ago

Runners take off after the starting gun at Pat's Run in Tempe. The race, will be run on April 13 th...

Character Counts

The 20th annual Pat’s Run set take place in Tempe on April 13

The 20th iteration of Pat's Run is set to take place in Tempe on April 13 to honor the life and legacy of Pat Tillman.

13 days ago

Follow @AZSports...

Character Counts

Bradley Beal hooked up Devin Booker fans who supported Suns in Denver

Suns fans who showed up to in Devin Booker jerseys at Ball Arena in Denver got a special gift from Bradley Beal afterward.

22 days ago

Aani Nagaiah, front row far right, is the winner among 10 finalists for the 2024 Character Counts s...

Character Counts

Arcadia senior wins 2024 Character Counts Scholarship

Arcadia's Aani Nagaiah on Wednesday night was presented as the winner of the 2024 Character Counts scholarship courtesy of Parker & Sons.

29 days ago

ASU's HBE uniforms...

Arizona Sports

Arizona State basketball fans can now rock Sun Devils’ HBE jerseys

Arizona State basketball's Honoring Black Excellence jerseys are being released to fans for the first time this month.

1 month ago

Baltimore Ravens tighe end Mark Andrews...

Character Counts

Ravens TE, diabetes advocate Mark Andrews helped woman during health scare on flight

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, who has Type 1 diabetes, helped a woman during a medical emergency on a flight to Arizona.

2 months ago

Larry Fitzgerald buying patrons’ meals to help ailing Scottsdale deli owner