Sam Berns
| Sam Berns | |
|---|---|
at a 2013 Washington, DC venue via TEDx MidAtlantic
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| Born |
Sampson Gordon Berns October 23, 1996 Providence, Rhode Island |
| Died | January 10, 2014 (aged 17) Foxborough, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Progeria |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Foxborough High School |
| Known for | HBO documentary on progeria, spreading progeria awareness |
| Parent(s) | Scott Berns Leslie Gordon |
Sampson Gordon "Sam" Berns (October 23, 1996 – January 10, 2014) was an American teen who had progeria and helped raise awareness about the disease. He was the subject of the HBO documentary Life According to Sam, which was first screened in January 2013. He died one year later, after appearing in a TEDx Talks video titled "My philosophy for a happy life."
His parents, Scott Berns and Leslie Gordon, both pediatricians, received their son's diagnosis when he was less than two years of age. Roughly a year later, they established the Progeria Research Foundation in an effort to increase awareness of the condition, to promote research into the underlying causes of and possible treatments for the disease, and to offer resources for the support of sufferers and their families.
On November 9, 2013, the Boston Bruins welcomed Berns to drop the ceremonial first puck for a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He helped host Progeria Awareness Night at the TD Garden in Boston, dropping the ceremonial puck, serving as Assistant Equipment Manager for the team, and watching their warmups from the team's bench. Berns and Zdeno Chára, the Bruins captain, had been strong friends since 2006, when Berns attended a Bruins game and met Chára afterwards. Chára had scored in that game and Berns blurted out "You're the hero!". Chára responded: "No, no, you're my hero, our hero."
Before the puck dropped on Tuesday, January 14, 2014, the Bruins honored Berns with a moment of silence and a video tribute.
The plan was that Berns was going to be an honorary captain when the New England Patriots hosted the Indianapolis Colts in a divisional playoff game in January 2014.
Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft issued a statement on the news of the passing of Berns.
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