Tony Dipardo Hospitalized
 

http://www.myfoxkc.com/myfox/pages/N...Y&pageId=3.1.1

KANSAS CITY, MO. -- Long-time Chief's band leader Tony Dipardo is hospitalized. His family is asking for prayers.

The family said Dipardo is in serious condition and was hospitalized last Friday.

Dipardo has been a part of the "TD Pack Band" since the Chiefs arrived in 1963 and led the band for 20 years before his daughter Patti took over in 1983. But, the 95-year-old remains a fixture on the sidelines with his signature trumpet.

This is sad. One of my earliest memories as a Chiefs fan was hearing his trumpet.

Aw jeez. :(

Prayers are on the way....I remember as a kid going to my first game at Arrowhead and hearing him play myself..

It's a shame to see so many old members of the glory years passing away.

Kinda makes some of us feel the mortality in our own bones....

Man, hang in there Tony.

They oughta put Tony on the ring of fame. As long as ****ing Steadman is up there anyway.

At my previous job, Tony was one of my customers. He's originally from St. Louis, but came to KC in the 1940's as a band leader and KC is his adopted home. He's been with the Chiefs since the very beginning. Nothing but good thoughts for Tony, his wife and daughter Patti, and prayers for a return to health.

TD probably suffered a heart attack when he got the notice from CP that the cost of his prime choice end zone field level seat was increasing big-time and TD only had 10 days to make a decision about renewing it.

Tony is a living legend. He is one of the biggest inspirational, caring, people Kansas City has ever seen. I was talking to Tony D and Buck O'Neil a couple years ago about how amazed I was with how they always were on the go and helping so many people at their age. Tony told me that life is a race and him and Buck were going to run to the finish line. Hopefully this isn't the end of the marathon for Tony. Everyone needs to put him in your thoughts and prayers and send him messages via this email.

bump

Best Wishes!

Any updates on Tony?...

Still sending all positive vibes his way.

From this morning's KC Star:

http://tinyurl.com/29wdtq

Tony, youre in our thoughts

The man known as “Mr. Music” is ill. And he needs those thoughts, prayers and expressions of gratitude.

Tony DiPardo, the 95-year-old leader of the Kansas City Chiefs TD Pack Band, is in a hospital.

On Dec. 8, DiPardo fell and broke his left wrist. Since his injury, DiPardo just hasn’t been the same. He was hospitalized about a week ago after he became weak and started losing weight.

His wife, daughter and son-in-law have been at his bedside every day since then. I visited him on Thursday.

“Tell people to be thinking about me,” DiPardo said with his trademark thumbs-up.

We will. And get well soon, TD.

The 2007 season was DiPardo’s 44th with the Chiefs. It was Lamar Hunt who called DiPardo in 1963 and asked him to lead his stadium pep band.

The entire city should get behind a “Best Wishes to TD ” campaign. Get-well messages to DiPardo can be mailed to P.O. Box 23, Greenwood, MO 64034, or send e-mail to bestwishes2tony@aol.com. Let him know how much we need him back for his 45th season.

Hope Tony gets well ... he's a legend ....