'I was born here': Danny DeVito gives big gift to Jersey Shore University Medical Center

NEPTUNE − Danny DeVito on Monday returned to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, the hospital where he was born, to make a $500,000 donation that executives say will help the facility add new services and keep up with its fast growth.

For the actor, the donation took on added meaning. He said it was a chance to give back to a hospital that was a cornerstone for his family. And it was a chance to help the hospital continue to provide innovative care needed in the face of health threats.

The hospital "is very dear to my heart because, you know, I was born here," said DeVito, 78. "I guess I had a really good time; I don't remember the exact moment. But I've been here before, visited the place. I've probably had splinters taken out here."

DeVito is an Asbury Park native who has found fame with an acting career that has spanned decades. His resume includes celebrated roles in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Taxi," and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

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DeVito's gift comes as Jersey Shore University Medical Center has become the fastest-growing hospital in Hackensack Meridian Health's system, putting the hospital under pressure to provide state-of-the-art care more affordably.

"The private gifts are so important, particularly today coming out of COVID," said Robert Garrett, chief executive officer for Hackensack Meridian Health, the Edison-based company that owns Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

"All hospitals and health systems are financially stressed, and we really count on the support of our community more than ever before. Philanthropy literally not just keeps programs sustained, but helps us grow them as the population expands and the population ages."

Hackensack Meridian had an "in" with DeVito. The actor's latest part is spokesman for Jersey Mike's Subs, the Wall-based sandwich chain whose chief executive officer, Peter Cancro, is a member of the hospital's board of trustees.

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Cancro two years ago donated $10 million to Hackensack Meridian. And he said he is teaming up with former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning to raise another $1 billion for the hospital system.

DeVito "heard about it and wanted to contribute as well," Cancro said.

Garrett presented DeVito with a framed copy of his birth certificate and a photo of the hospital from the year he was born, 1944. Back then, it was called Fitkin Memorial Hospital.

DeVito said the hospital's mission in the wake of COVID-19 is as important as ever as health care faces widespread challenges, from new viruses to expanding its services to more people.

But his gift also was a reminder that he is continually drawn back home to the Shore. He remembered riding his bike to the beach and waiting until no one was watching so he could hop the fence instead of buying a beach tag. He remembered his father's pool hall on Asbury Avenue and his brother-in-law's pizzeria called Freddie's.

He said he remains close friends with his kindergarten classmates. He still has a small house in Interlaken. And he jokingly wondered if Ocean Grove, a town that once banned traffic on Sundays, was open yet.

When DeVito was cast for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," he learned he had a connection with the movie's star, Jack Nicholson, a Neptune native.

"I found out he was born exactly here," DeVito said. "So one of the first things I ever said to him when I met him on the set of 'Cuckoo's Nest' was, 'Hey man, we were born in the same hospital. Fitkin Hospital.'"

Michael L. Diamond is a business reporter who has been writing about the New Jersey economy and health care industry for more than 20 years. He can be reached at mdiamond@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Danny DeVito donates to Jersey Shore University Medical Center