Rock and roll legend donates $55,000 to children’s hospital in Charlotte

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A rock and roll legend donated $55,000 to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, his foundation announced in a Nov. 10 news release.

Sammy Hagar’s Hagar Family Foundation also donated $55,000 to Hope Street Food Pantry in Charlotte.

Known for the hit song “I Can’t Drive 55″ and his time with Van Halen, Hagar opened Sammy’s Beach Bar and Grill in the Charlotte airport in June 2025. Proceeds from the restaurant are then funneled back into the community.

The $55,000 donation to Levine Children’s will support the hospital’s pediatric cancer research program, while the equal gift to the food pantry will help keep shelves stocked.

“I’ve been singing ‘I Can’t Drive 55’ for over 40 years, and it turns out 55 is a pretty great number to give, too,” Hagar said in the Nov. 10 news release. “Kari and I started this foundation because no kid should go to bed hungry, and no family should have to face something like childhood cancer alone.”

Since 2008, the Hagar Family Foundation has donated more than $4 million to a variety of charitable causes.

The 79-year-old Hagar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 as a member of Van Halen.

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