Dan was the second of three children born to Ed Finn, Sr. a Jersey City school teacher and member of referee board #33, and Mary Finn, an administrative assistant in the principal's office at St. Peter's Prep, Dan's alma mater. His older brother, Ed, Jr. is also a graduate of St. Peter's Prep and Georgetown University and is currently a finance executive in Boston. Maura graduated from St. Dominic Academy and is currently seeking her associates degree from New Jersey City University, transferring after two years at NJIT.

 

On August 12, 2004, Dan, a recent graduate of Fordham University, was struck by a hit and run driver while vacationing with his family in Myrtle Beach. After emergency brain surgery he was pronounced dead, in the wee hours of the morning, two days later at the tender age of 23.

 

Although a two sport athlete in high school having attained All State honors in soccer and All County in basketball, Dan was best known for his affable personality and his willingness to help anybody, anywhere, anytime. Even in death he gave of himself through a donation of his organs.

 

Dan's Aunt Ellen, who was suffering from a tremendous, victorious bout with leukemia, was the recipient of one of Dan's kidneys having had hers devastated with chemo and radiation treatments. Her quality of life has improved dramatically. Dan's other kidney and pancreas were transplanted into a man from Sullivan County, New York who had suffered through nearly twenty years of dialysis. His heart is in the chest of a man from Charleston, S.C. Even the corneas of his eyes were used to improve the vision of a young boy in Pennsylvania.

 

In a way, Dan continues to live on as "A Man For Others." The Dan Finn Classic is rather symbollic of what he really stood for, helping others in their time of need and doing it through a magnificent sporting event.