It was a cold, winter day in Mount Pleasant, MI. Someone told me that Don Vito was coming to our little city to visit and promote a Spring Break giveaway. I didn’t really care too much about winning a trip, I just wanted to see this man. Don Vito became a bit of a cult hit on the show “Jackass” by being the funny guy who always was on the receiving end of a Bam Margera prank. Me and my friends stood outside for hours, a line extended nearly ten blocks waiting to get into the small house where Vito was staying. After getting within two blocks of his location, his booming voice could be heard from inside. For whatever reason, I got a little nervous. Even though Don Vito was never a household name, I enjoyed watching him on television. When our small group finally got to the front of the line, Vito asked me if I put my name into the glass bowl to potentially win the trip. I told him “no, I have no shot.” He then flipped out on me in a hilarious manner and took a picture. My friends laughed at my expense the entire walk home.
Vincent Margera died today at the age of 59 from liver and kidney failure. The cast of Jackass also lost Ryan Dunn in 2011 to a car accident. It’s never easy to see anyone die at a young age. Don Vito had a lot of fun on the show “Jackass” with his nephew and fellow co-stars. Unfortunately, he battled a lot of personal demons and spent time in front of a judge because of other issues. No matter where he is now, I’ll remember standing in line for hours to just catch a quick glimpse of the rising celebrity.
Thank you to TMZ for the story.
