John Stamos was honored Tuesday with the Bob Saget Legacy Award at a charity event that combined a “Full House” reunion with a night of comedy, all in support of the Scleroderma Research Foundation.
The fundraiser brought in more than $1 million and recognized Stamos for using his public platform to build awareness and raise money for scleroderma research, according to a press release.
After receiving the honor, Stamos shared a social media message reflecting on Saget’s generosity. He said Saget had an enormous heart and used it to improve people’s lives, adding that he misses him daily and feels fortunate to help carry forward his legacy.
Saget, best known for playing Danny Tanner on the beloved sitcom, was also remembered for his philanthropic work. He served on the foundation’s board and supported patients facing the same disease that claimed his sister Gay’s life in 1994. In 2023, a year after Saget’s death, the foundation established an award in his name.
Kelly Rizzo, Saget’s widow, wrote on social media that she believed Saget would be watching with tears of pride and gratitude, moved that so many people continue to support him and the cause that mattered deeply to him.
Comedian and “America’s Got Talent” judge Howie Mandel presented Stamos with the award. Mandel said the event was created by one of the most extraordinary people he had ever known, Bob Saget, and that presenting the award to Stamos felt like honoring Saget’s brother. He called the evening both sad and beautiful, saying friends like Stamos are the reason the mission keeps moving forward.
The event attracted a wide range of comedians, actors and entertainers, including Seth Green, Fortune Feimster, Matt Friend, Jay Pharoah, Lisa Ann Walter, Candace Cameron Bure, Lori Loughlin and John Mayer, among many others.
Scleroderma is a condition that can cause the skin to harden and tighten and may also affect blood vessels, internal organs and the digestive tract, according to the Mayo Clinic. The Scleroderma Research Foundation estimates that about 300,000 Americans are living with the disease.