Hip surgeries landed him behind the wheel of a brand new Mini Cooper. Grateful for the medical treatment he received while at the Clara Maass Medical Center in 2009, retired Bayonne firefighter and Nutley resident Larry DiSimone purchased two raffle tickets to help support cancer services at the hospital. When he received the call, informing him he had won a Mini Cooper Hardtop, he didn't believe it. "I thought it had to be a joke," DiSimone said. "You see practical jokes like that on TV all the time. I thought, 'no way could I have actually won a car.'" DiSimone was no stranger to Clara Maass. In the winter of 2009, Dr. Frank P. Femino, medical director of orthopedics at the hospital performed hip surgery on DiSimone, who retired from the Bayonne Fire Department in 2010. A few months later, DiSimone underwent surgery on the hip at CMMC. "Rehab was terrific," DiSimone said. "The whole experience was terrific here." Hospital staff is pleased that someone they helped won the sports car. "It is really exciting to us that the winner is a local man -- someone not just familiar with the Medical Center, but who has actually received care here," said Jane Kessler, vice president of the CMMC Foundation. A Navy veteran, DiSimone served 20 years as a firefighter in Bayonne. DiSimone, who now walks at least three days a week for exercise, said perhaps his win is a sign his parents are still looking out for him. The red Mini Cooper was donated by Mini of Morristown. The CMMC Foundation raffle, which began on May 14, 2012 at the foundation's annual Golf Invitational, sold over $45,000 in ticket sales. Source: Hip surgeries land retired Bayonne firefighter behind wheel of new Mini Cooper | NJ.com