The couple had no children, and Eileen's death left Ben Aronoff alone. In 1948, he married Shirley Goldin. That was the cast of characters he was involved with. The race was several days away. And he never would backpedal later or change things. The secret to happiness is taking risks. They had three children: [1] Michael who was a star athlete at the University of Florida until he was severely injured in a car accident in 1970 and used a wheelchair after that. We could see all the gunshots., Allan Brown He was murdered right out in front of my office, halfway betweenSaccentis building and my building. Phil Lipschutz I never had any inkling that Don was involved in something illegal. He was an opinionated guy. He is the son of the late Les Aronow and is survived by his beloved wife Jill, mother Gail Aronow Kaufer, stepfather Marshall Kaufer, brothers Rob, James and sister-in-law Trish. "And they're entitled to spend it any damn way thay want.". But it bothered Don Aronow that he couldn't win. According to prosecutors, Aronow paid $60,000 to Young to kill him. . The weapon they chose was a 39-foot catamaran, also designed by Aronow, known as "Blue Thunder.". [1], After school, he worked as a physical education teacher for a time until he accepted a job at his father-in-law's southern New Jersey construction business which was booming thanks to demand from returning World War II veterans. However, the side effects were severe, and Rachel was left permanently disabled. Burdick's and Mitchell's investigation into Aronow's life, his Bush connections and his death makes for a fascinating and disturbing mystery story. The gunman drove his own getaway car. Read the full story in the VHICULE print edtion. Both Adams and Hicks were killed years earlier, in separate cases in 1983. The EMS [paramedics] showed up and pulled him out. She served on the boards of many charitable organizations, including the United Way, the Salvation Army, and the Red Cross. Far below, the Mediterranean lay shimmering in the moonlight. Just lining up. She was a truly remarkable woman who will be deeply missed. Richard Aronow was an accomplished entrepreneur, world-champion boat racer, and bon vivant. But the Donald Aronow story really happened. He served his sentence for the Aronow murder in Oklahoma, at the same time he was incarcerated in federal prison for cocaine trafficking. Allan Brown Shirley was his first wife. The jump from Jersey to Miami left this reader scratching his head. Don Aronow's pockets are stuffed with fifties and hundreds. All information published on this website is provided in good faith and for general use only. Aronow's boats -- sleek, powerful and built for high performance -- were another extension of his personality. Both Adams and Hicks were killed years earlier, in separate cases in 1983. Bob Saccenti The real Don was sitting at a business table negotiating deals. "And all of a sudden I was in the powerboat business.". Don built boats for good guys and he built them for bad guys. He thought he was going to semi-retire to Florida and skindive and fish but he got bored., Michael Peters Aronow looked the part. However, there are some possible contributing factors that could have played a role. Known for its iconic "Cigarette" speedboat line, Aronow's boats went on to win hundreds of offshore races and Aronow himself was a two-time world champion and three-time U.S. champion of offshore racing. Hanging on the wall are works in progress. His face flushed with excitement, Don Aronow launches into another one of his stories. On Tuesday, Smith, the retired detective, called Aronows widow, Lillian, to break the news. He competed in the race in April 1962 and led until the end. Ben's wife's voice has brought comfort to countless people who have gone through their own losses. He regarded this marriage as a part of his success story, boasting: "I'd never be married to a beautiful woman like Lillian if I hauled garbage for a living." But if he didnt like you, watch out., Allan Brown Our friend Stu Jackson worked for Thunderbird and he received a gold Rolex when he retired. During his quarter-century reign as the undisputed king of Thunderboat Row, Aronow was a lot of different things to a lot of different people. WebAronow married twice. [1] He graduated a top athlete from James Madison High School in 1944,[1] worked as a life guard at Coney Island, and enrolled at Brooklyn College. Many disputes were going on in his marital life. He had attracted the attention of passers-by by hanging around in Gasoline Alley for some time before the murder. . At 57, he is a lean and muscular six-foot-two. In 1948, he married Shirley Goldin [1] [6] who he had met while working as a lifeguard on Coney Island. This is a special section devoted to Don Aronow and his influence on the sport of offshore racing. Jill Aronoff was a active member of the community and an avid philanthropist. 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WebAfter divorcing his first wife in 1979, Aronow married Lillian Crawford, a Wilhelmina fashion model and socialite. Over the next few months, this section will be expanded as we take a look at each of the boat companies that Don founded Formula, Donzi, Magnum, Cigarette, Squadron XII, and USA Racing. This could have contributed to the death of Ben Aronoff's wife, as she may have been under a great deal of stress. He became hooked on racing and thats how it all began., Phil Lipschutz Once racings in your blood, you can never get it out., Michael Aronow After that 62 race, my father started to work with Jim Wynne and Walt Walters. David Claudia is a New York artist and ex-wife of real estate developer Martin Kimmel. The couple had been married for only a year and a half, and they were expecting their first child together. [2] [A tough, athletic, Jewish kid from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, by age 21 Aronow found himself married and about to start a career in his father-in-laws New Jersey He realized that he still had a lot to live for and that his wife would want him to live. He was larger than life. Aronow was murdered in Miami in his car by hitman Robert Bobby Young on 3 February 1987. In 1948, he married Shirley Goldin. Regards to all, Michael Aronow. He struggled to cope with his grief and was unable to return to work. Yes, Donald Aronow did in fact die in a motorcycle crash on July 16 and motorists stopped their cars to release balloons as a memorial tribute. It was late and night during the depths of America's great Depression. You should have seen that pilot's face.". His escape could easily have been foiled if someone had managed to block the street's only exit. One of Don Aronow's race horses has just finished first. In the days and weeks after her death, Ben found himself struggling to cope. With their savings and the help of family and friends, they raised the $250,000 needed for the treatment. His first boat was made from wood and broke apart. Aronow, 59 at the time of his murder in 1987, was a handsome, jet-setting Miami speedboat racer and designer of the sleek racing craft known as the cigarette boat. A child of the Depression, Aronow, 59, founded several of the world's hottest speed-boat manufacturing companies. Its subtitle is an accurate one: "How the Mafia Owned and Finally Murdered Cigarette Boat King Donald Aronow.". Michael Peters If you were a coward with him, you were gone. The same year he almost killed himself when his race boat hit a wave off California, shot airborne and slammed into a helicopter hovering overhead. Many disputes were going on in his marital life. Robert was a cold-blooded killer. No matter what her exact last words were, it is clear that she cared deeply for her husband and wanted to make sure he was happy and safe even after she was gone. Rachel was given a 20% chance of survival. In 1964 he started Donzi Marine; the Donzi brand became an international success and Aronow quickly sold the company to Teleflex Inc. in mid-1965. On October 8, 1967, American photographer Ben Aronoff's wife, Eileen, died in a car accident. Don was the only person who gave me more than a platitude he gave me a job. "These guys earned their money," Aronow says. You gotta do your homework. Six foot three, real good looking, lots of swagger. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. On February 3, 1987, Aronow was murdered in his car at the end of 188th Street in North Miami Beach where his boat companies operated. . Even in death, she continues to touch the lives of those around her. (Ironically, in the immediate aftermath of the crash, Saccentis life was saved by his race partner, none other than Ben Kramer.) Bob Saccenti Don used to come and see me when I was hurt one of those You need anything, let me know, things. Ben Aronoff's wife Eileen was a beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her. Speculation about who the killer might be ran from jilted lovers or jealous husbands to [Jewish mobster] Meyer Lansky and the CIA. Family mementos and an early ad campaign by son Alexei for Armani and Gucc. In January, Young was sentenced to a 27-year prison term for owning the assault rifle. He was a great dad and a great husband. After Aronows brief visit with Saccenti, he got back in his white Mercedes and began to pull away. . Don Aronow is also quite proud of his lovely wife Lillian. Allan Brownie Brown is a former acquaintance. Members of the Bee Gees were neighbours on both sides. Donald Aronow, a bored millionaire at 28 and a dead man 26 days before his 60th birthday, used to move briskly through Miami's shadowy world where dopers, government spies and mobsters commingle. "So I decided to build a powerboat race that would beat these other guys.". In 1984, he was released along with 21 other Americans in a deal engineered by civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. They just dont make em like Don Aronow anymore. "She was gorgous," Aronow says. Gasoline Alley -- NE 188th Street as it is officially known -- bears the names of the companies the self-made multimillionaire from Brooklyn made famous: Magnum, Apache, Donzi, Cigarette and the U.S.A. racing team. Additionally, her death may have been the result of a tragic accident. The couple had been married for just over a year, and Eileen was only 23 years old. Aronow went down the canal at 65mph (105km/h) and ended up running into the seawall. Aronow left his office in his white Mercedes, shortly after visiting a rival boat dealership owned by Kramer. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. They had three children: [1] Michael who was a star athlete at the University of Florida until he was severely injured in a car accident in 1970 and used a wheelchair after that. It had to do with his father's taxicab company. In 1948, he married Shirley Goldin [1] [6] who he had met while working as a lifeguard on Coney Island. "That's what winning is all about," Aronow grins nearly 20 years later. He knows that there is still much work to be done, but he is hopeful for the future. but very outspoken. [He drove it back and] the boat was sinking at the dock. Young, paid $60,000 for the contract murder, achieved such notoriety for the gangland-style killing that he secured a place in the pantheon of South Florida assassins. They moved in with Rachel's parents and relied on them for help. The treatment options were limited, and the family decided to keep Rachel comfortable at home. When someone you love dies, it's natural to want to hold onto anything that reminds you of them. He owns a horse farm in Ocala, a home in Miami Beach and a new Long Island estate that just made Toen and Country. I was like, do I really want to move down there? Allan Brown Shirley was his first wife. Money comes and goes. ", "He was a great bon vivant, a diamond in the rough," said Jim Wynne, Aronow's chief design engineer and creator of the popular marine outdrive, a device that combines advantages of inboard and outboard engines. He is a multimillionaire speedboat champion racer who is also living a secret life as an assassin. "I'd never be married to a beautiful woman like Lillian if I hauled garbage for a living," Aronow adds. Is also living a secret life as an assassin Aronow married Lillian Crawford, a fashion... 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