Trailblazer Award

Larry fitzgerald, Jr.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr., 2023 ElevateMeD Trailblazer award recipient

Larry Fitzgerald is a philanthropist, business owner, investor, and former wide receiver for the National Football League (NFL). 

In 2005, Larry founded The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation in honor of his mother, Carol Fitzgerald, who passed away as a result of breast cancer in 2003. For nearly two decades, The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation has worked to provide equitable access and new pathways to success for youth and honors his mother’s legacy by supporting women and men affected by breast cancer in communities that have been historically underserved. Breast cancer research and support will always be a priority for Larry, as he continues to prioritize the importance of funding organizations and initiatives that provide life enhancing resources not only in the Phoenix and Minneapolis areas but nationally as well. 

Through the foundation, Larry continues to expand his philanthropic endeavors as he fosters relationships with corporate partners committed to advancement in the areas of education and technology by donating significant resources and digital devices to schools and programs in Arizona, Minnesota and across the country. Beyond the foundation’s core mission of breast cancer awareness and youth education, Larry’s philanthropic initiatives range in size and scope, from economic development projects in Senegal and Ethiopia, to delivering hearing technology in Africa and Southeast Asia.

During his 17 seasons in the NFL, Larry Fitzgerald used his platform as a professional athlete to promote countless causes in communities throughout the United States and internationally. In 2016, he was awarded the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, the NFL’s highest honor recognizing charitable work. While Larry holds many records with the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL, his proudest accomplishments have happened for him off the field.

As a business owner and investor, Larry aims to accelerate the growth and impact of companies focused on sustainability, technology, and lifestyle. He prides himself in serving as a leader and also learning from his partners like PHX Suns and most recently as a board member of Dick’s Sporting Goods.