Jimmy Ruffin Jr, singer, song writer, and producer-nephew of Motown singer David Ruffin of the Temptations, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at The Spark of Love toy drive at Victorino Noval’s Beverly Hills estate.
Ed Bass, Esai Morales, Bob Yari
Film maker Edward Bass remembers, “The valet was backed up. I was outside, helping with the arrivals when I noticed someone carrying so many presents up the hill, you couldn’t even see their face. He walked over to Santa and collapsed. His toys went everywhere.”
Lawrence Davis, Mrs. Bass, Jeff Rice, Jose Canseco and his friend
Noval comments, “His Gucci Belt buckle wasn’t moving, we lost him. He was surrounded by heroes. Ballplayer, Jose Canseco jumped and sealed off the area. Crash producer Bob Yari helped herd the crowd to the salon where his buddy Esai Morales begun singing Ruffin’s Motown songs like the last moments of the Titanic, it seemed to be an inevitable tragedy.”
Jose Canseco, Victorino Noval Ed Bass, Jimmy Ruffin Jr., Beverly Hills Fire Captain Dean Viana 
Beverly Hills Fire Captain Dean Viana said, “I actually was a guest at the event, which I’m involved with every year on behalf of the Fire Department. I put down my cocktail, dropped to my knees in my Hugo Boss and immediately began performing CPR as his heart had stopped. It took four attempts to resuscitate him.”
Bass said, “Noval, Viana and I expected to still see him at least in intensive care atCedars Sinai, but there he was sitting up. I came in singing a Ruffin hit, ‘What to do for the Broken Hearted’. He answered on cue -- CPR”.
Ruffin Jr., says he is “I felt like 50 Cent when he got shot nine times and then he went on to take over the world. I sang, wrote and produced with Sir Elton, George Michaels and Michael Jackson, and I can tell you there is no high like going from life death to life. I saw my uncle David Ruffin, it seemed like he was with theTemptations singing, It was so peaceful, it is almost impossible to describe. 
Ruffin Jr. released from the hospital said everyone, including Stevie Wonder, has called him as he continues to work on his album, ironically titles, “Better Late Than Never.”
Vince Jolivette, Art Laboe
Noval plans on having Ruffin Jr., sing at next year’s event, “the fact that he was here surrounded by firefighters was a blessing. Within 4 minutes, Jimmy was in an ambulance; his recovery was the best gift Spark of Love has ever received”.
