San Clemente Pals Dance for Danny : Fund-Raiser Exceeds Goal, Yields $15,000 for Paralyzed Man

A weekend fund-raiser for a 25-year-old auto mechanic who was partly paralyzed in a swimming accident has raised more than $15,000, the event’s chief organizer said Monday.

Money raised will go to Danny Shaw, who has no medical insurance and is rehabilitating at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Shaw suffered a spinal cord injury April 9 when he somehow struck his head on sand while swimming near Doheny State Beach. He is paralyzed from the waist down and has little ability to use his arms and hands.

A Dance for Danny was held Saturday night at the San Clemente Community Center. Katie Arons, a friend of Shaw’s since junior high school, headed the fund-raiser. She had a goal of $10,000 and hoped to attract 500 people at $20 a ticket.

“But we ended up raising more than $15,000,” Arons said Monday. “One company here in San Clemente sent us $5,000. A lot of people mailed in money after they saw the story in the newspaper. And many people bought tickets to the dance, even though they couldn’t go.

“I guess we had about 400 at the dance on Saturday night, and everyone had fun. There were City Council people there and a big mix of young people and older people, and it was a lot of fun.

“Danny was overwhelmed (when he learned of the turnout), and I’m like Danny, because I’m overwhelmed too.”

Arons said fund-raising will continue through mail donations. The address for mailed contributions is: Friends of Danny Shaw, 32901 Staysail Drive, Dana Point, Calif. 92629.

“We’re also raising money by the sale of Danny T-shirts,” Arons said. “The San Clemente T-Shirt Co. on Del Mar is giving the profits from the sale of the shirts to Danny’s fund. We had some of the T-shirts at the dance, and we sold out.”

Shaw, a 1982 graduate of San Clemente High School, worked as a mechanic at Shadetree Automotive in San Clemente before the accident.

In a recent interview, Shaw said his chief goal in rehabilitation is to come back to San Clemente.

“It’s paradise,” he said. “I’m going to be going back there. And I’m determined I’m going to be walking.”