“It's important to me that we're trying to raise as much money as we can in this fight against cancer,” said Zito, who’s built up the charitable endeavor with the same passion that he poured into building the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers “Each one of these [statues] has a story and when you look at them some of them are fun, some of them are silly, some of them are creative beyond anything I could have ever imagined.”
In addition to losing family members to the disease, Zito’s wife, Julie, is a breast cancer survivor and has been a partner and inspiration in the creation of ‘Panthers on the Prowl.’
“Everyone knows someone,” Zito said when asked about those touched by cancer.
It’s that shared experience that has allowed ‘Panthers on the Prowl’ to grow.
Receiving a wide range of participation, the auction includes panthers designed and inspired by GRAMMY Award-winner Michael Buble, NHL great Wayne Gretzky, professional golfer and two-time major champion Dustin Johnson, artist Romero Britto and more.
“To be able to have the privilege to reach out and make those contacts and hear those folks say, ‘Of course,’ what a gift that was that I received,” Zito said of the support.
With the goal of raising $1 million for ACA, Zito said the campaign has already raised more than $700,000 and hopes the auction will bring ‘Panthers on the Prowl’ past the finish line.
At that point, the goal will just have to get bigger.
Live now, bidding will be open through Friday, Feb. 6, 2026.
For fans looking to secure this one-of-a-kind art, the auction can be found HERE.
To learn more about the history of ‘Panthers on the Prowl,’ click HERE.
