David Einhorn: A Helping Hand For Parkinson's Research

David Einhorn is a 37 year old philanthropist and hedge fund manager from New York who happens to play poker. David surprised many in the poker community when he announced that regardless of where he finished, he would be donating 100% of his WSOP earnings to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. The amount of his donation was determined when Einhorn busted out in 18th place, good for $659,730. As for playing for charity, Einhorn said it helped him deal with the pressure of the tournament immensely. He stated, "I think playing for the cause helped me relax."

One of Einhorn's most striking characteristics was the sweatshirt which he wore throughout the tournament. The plain blue sweatshirt, featuring painted handprints from his wife and children, was a Father's Day gift. Explaining why he wore it, he said, "I think in poker, you need to have some good hands, and I brought all my best hands with me to try to do a good job."


Einhorn is a board member of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which he joined after he met Fox less than a year ago. Einhorn's grandfather had Parkinson's, and he is looking forward to hosting a big benefit to raise money for the cause in New York in November.

For more on the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research, see our Cause Celeb Feature on Michael J. Fox