THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

‘Air Bud’ Creator Avoids Homelessness After Donations Pour In

Thanks to crowdfunding, Kevin DiCicco hopes to snag a studio apartment in San Diego and receive the medical care he needs.

Right before the holiday season, the man responsible for Disney‘s Air Bud has narrowly escaped homelessness after telling TMZ he was going to be evicted from his shelter. Kevin DiCicco, the person who owned and trained Buddy (the dog featured in the famous film franchise), has been saved by crowdfunding. He told TMZ that he was terrified to be kicked out of his San Diego shelter due to the day limit, and an old friend sprung into action and made a GoFundMe for him. As of Wednesday afternoon, the campaign has raised over $11,500 out of its $200,000 goal. However, DiCicco told TMZ he now can afford a studio apartment, and medical care to help with his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has been a roadblock for him. Not only is he no longer facing homelessness, but he has an idea to create an app to help owners teach their dogs sports. According to DiCicco, he never received much payment for the Air Bud gig. Buddy died in 1998, a year after the first film was released. “I was the Production Manager on Air Bud and my wife and I also did Air Bud 2. Those experiences were the best of my entire working career,” wrote one donator on the GoFundMe. “Buddy was the most amazing dog and his basketball skills were legendary!”