Estefan Documentary Reveals Unbreakable Buoniconti Bond
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The bond between a father and son is often times unbreakable. That's especially true for Nick and Marc Buoniconti whose story inspired Emilio Estefan into producing a documentary highlighting the struggles and triumphs of the Buoniconti family after Marc was left paralyzed by a college football accident.
It's hard to believe it's been almost 30 years since Marc Buoniconti, a 19-year-old college football player, took the hit that would change his life. His dad Nick, an NFL Hall of Famer, remembers every minute of that day.
"You have to go back to the day that Marc was injured and you have to go back to a time when Marc was laying in his bed with tubes in his nose and throat and you know he couldn't talk and when I leaned over to kiss him, I looked into his big brown eyes and I saw 'Daddy please help me,' and for the first time in my life I couldn't help my son," Nick Buoniconti confided to CBS4's Lisa Petrillo.
But he did help his son.
Watching much of it from the sidelines was Grammy award-winning music producer Emilio Estefan whose own wife, Gloria, came very close to a spinal cord injury after an almost paralyzing bus accident. Emilio was mesmerized by the connection between Marc and Nick and decided he wanted to direct and produce a documentary about their relationship.
The result is the film "The Unbreakable Bond" which premieres Tuesday, March 11 at The Miami International Film Festival.
Estefan explained to Petrillo how he visualized the film.
"It's a little bit of everything, but I think it is the human part is what's really going to kill people, because it's the bond between them and everything that they have done and they still do and they still are going to do," he said
For Marc, having a film made about his story was just incredible.
"First of all, I was flattered and completely humbled that Gloria and Emilio would even think about doing a documentary about me and my father," said Marc.
"I know that it is going to raise a lot of awareness, a lot of funds and hope and inspire people to be involved. They will see a bond between me and my father and my family, my brother, my mother, my sister and as well, that family bond especially at times of tragedy, can rise you up and give you the energy and the motivation to turn your life around, when you think you can't," explained Marc.
Marc's dad, whose been given almost every sports award a man can receive said none of them compare to helping his son.
"I would trade every single one of them and I would trade this Super Bowl ring, this 17 and 0 ring, if one day that Marc can stand up, put his arms around me and give me a hug and give me a kiss and that will be the happiest day of my life."
Nick, Marc and Emilio all hope "An Unbreakable Bond" will be an eye-opener to all who see it.
"This is one of the highlights of my career," Estefan said. "To do something that to me, has no commercial value, this is only to help other people. I think this has an incredible message."
"I am blessed that I can remember and also honor people who have changed my life," Marc said.
"An Unbreakable Bond" premieres Tuesday, March 11th at 6:30 pm at the Olympia Theater in Miami.
Click here for more information about the Miami Film Festival.
