ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Donald Gialanella is the man who made the "mustache" at the Dali.
That's right, the giant metalwork mustache you've posed next to with your visiting relatives.
Angelina Jolie and Jimmy Buffett are both fans of the St. Pete sculptor, whose larger-than-life work is all over the world.
Gialanella has just embarked on another special project, one that is both intensely personal and public, and one that will earn him an all-new fanbase.
He's been tapped by the Special Olympics to create the cauldron that will hold the Flame of Hope at the 2022 USA Games in Orlando.
"I have to say it's a great honor to be chosen to bring to life a symbol that's so universal and means so much to so many people," said Gialanella.
The project is currently top secret, and Gialanella can reveal very little about the cauldron.
But what he does reveal are his own physical challenges related to Parkinson's disease. That's made this project even more important to him.
"I do feel a kinship," said Gianella, who added that he now relies more on teamwork to create his work. "I can relate to the struggles these athletes go through."
The Special Olympics 2022 USA Games will be held at Walt Disney World June 5-12.
For more on Donald Gialanella, go here.
For more on the Special Olympics, go here.
