Jerry Lewis, bounding back from health problems that sidelined him for most of last year's Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon, raised a record $54.6 million during this year's annual Labor Day weekend event, reported the Associated Press.
Lewis, 74, and telethon anchor Ed McMahon cheered along with a studio audience after announcing the total Monday, which will go to fight neuromuscular diseases, said AP.
Lewis, fighting back tears, then broke into his show's trademark closing anthem: "You'll Never Walk Alone."
"We made it for children, for people, for parents... for humanity," Lewis said. "And what a wonderful thing to live in a life where there are people that care so much."
The 35th annual telethon, a 23-hour variety show of singing, dancing and fund-raising, was broadcast on nearly 200 television stations and was available in streaming video on the Internet. It ended Monday night.
The telethon broke last year's mark of $53.1 million by $1.5 million, and the total could still climb because many local television stations planned to extend their broadcast after the national show ended.
Lewis has vowed to conduct the telethon each Labor Day until a cure is found for neuromuscular diseases-Albawaba.com.
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
