We are very sad to report that Mark died
on March 2nd, 2021.
He and his ex-wife AnnMarie Alburg passed away together.
He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Statement from a family member.
My mother and father were remarkable people, with unconditional love for everyone, and energetic spirits that always lit up any room. They were proud parents, amazing grandparents, and bright, selfless souls.
The world will never the same without them and it pains me everyday and keeps me up every night when I remember they’re gone. With respect to their legacy and their dignity, I share their story with pure intent to raise awareness, and prevent this sort of tragedy from happening to another family.
My parents struggled with addiction over the years, with varying levels of success. Those who were close to my Dad knew that he had relapsed about 5 years ago after 13 years of sobriety with the support and involvement of N.A.
What many, including myself, did not know until recently, was that he had expressed a strong desire to find sobriety again for us his family. My mom and I were very close and she often spoke to me openly about her struggles with addiction.
She confided in me many times and shared a lot of insight about her substance use, and was very clear that she did not want to inflict pain on us and her loved ones.
Their opportunity and plans to achieve sobriety were quickly taken away from them by fentanyl, like many others in our community. What they thought would just be a fun weekend together to let loose and reminisce, ended up taking both of their lives.My hope for everyone out there is to understand that this issue is in fact, very real especially in our community, and can happen to anyone, whether it’s adults who struggle with addiction, college students, or even high school and middle school kids experimenting at a party, all of which are loved ones to tens and thousands of families.
As someone who lost both parents to this lethal poison that is being manufactured and dealt in our community daily, I say this with a great deal of concern, and volume.
Please, please, please be careful, you really never know what you’re getting when you purchase any kind of street drugs nowadays. If I can prevent this heart ache from happening to just one more family, I will continue to share their story as much as I can.
As for now, my family continues to fight for justice, as we remember my parents for the lovely people that they were, selfless, loving, talented, wise, intelligent, artistic people who were loved by many and will forever be missed.
May they rest in heavenly peace. Mom and dad, we love you so much.
Until we meet again.
His life was tragically taken far too soon and the world has truly lost a treasure.
May he Rest In Peace.
There is a continuing effort to keep his spirit alive so please check out his website and social media:
www.bigtoerocks.com
Facebook: the-real-mark-goffeney
Instagram: @mark_e_goffeney
YouTube: Mark Goffeney
Thank you to those of you who gave content to include. To the filmmakers/content creators/musicians whose footage and sound that I used without permission, please know that this is not for profit and is only being posted so that his family, friends, and fans can continue to spend time with Mark whenever they are missing him. Be aware that YouTube may force ads onto the video.
Thank you for your understanding.
Mark Goffeney was a San Diegan whose talent and ambition helped him to achieve ongoing success as a performer, speaker and television personality.
Mark has been recognized for his work internationally and was nominated for an Emmy award in 1998 for his principal role in the Fox Network commercial, “Feet”.
Born without arms in 1969, Mark was raised to see himself as an equal in society and to value independence.
With these values instilled, Mark was soon noticed by several charities and by 1973 had become a Poster Child and principal; fund-raiser for both the Variety Club and March of Dimes.
For the next decade, Mark co-hosted hundreds of telethons working side by side with celebrities including Monte Hall and Kathy Lee Gifford. By 1981, Mark was credited for having raised over 6 million dollars for children’s charities., He appeared on Real People, the Mike Douglas Show and Regis Philbin By age nine, Mark was attempting to create his own music, but choosing an instrument would prove to be a challenge.
For a while he played trombone in the school band, then his dad brought home an old guitar he had found on a jobsite.
With his friend’s help, Mark soon developed his own technique. He would lay the guitar on the ground, supporting the neck with whatever he could get his feet on.
He would strum with his left foot and make chords with his right.
By the end of the nineties, Mark had successfully completed his first CD, titled “Big Toe”. Sponsored by PSB Records and produced by Steve Dudas (known for his work with Aerosmith and Ozzy Osbourne). This CD is a collection of Mark Goffeney’s greatest, original songs and was featured in the San Diego Reader’s “Best of the Best”. It is available below on iTunes.
In Recent years Mark and his band Big Toe have appeared on ARD TV in Germany where he opened for Lee Ann Rimes on the hit show, “Lippe Blofft”; and “Explosive” Two Korean network shows, “Amazing World” on SBS and “Amazing People” on MBC.
At home in the U.S. Big Toe was given two thumbs up by producer David Foster, (winner of sixteen Grammy Awards for his Work with Celine Dion) and Travis Barker (of Blink 182) on NBC Star Tomorrow in 2006.
One year later in Oct. of 2007, Big Toe performed on the Fox network Show “The next Great American Band”. The show was Created by Simon Cowell of “American Idol”. After the performance, Johnny Resnik, lead singer of the Goo Goo Dolls said ‘you kick ass on the bass guitar!
Mark’s band Big Toe appeared nationwide, and Mark often traveled solo to Japan, Korea, Germany and the Netherlands.
Purchase music by Big Toe and Mark Goffeney
Big Toe Music on iTunes
This is the only official Big Toe web site, paid for by, and approved by Mark Goffeney.
It is maintained by his friend, John Young, though Digital Sound and Picture.