Sam Berns Explained

Sam Berns
Birth Name:Sampson Gordon Berns
Birth Date:23 October 1996
Birth Place:Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Death Place:Foxborough, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death Cause:Complications from Progeria
Occupation:Activist
Education:Foxborough High School
Known For:HBO documentary on progeria, spreading progeria awareness
Nationality:American

Sampson Gordon Berns (October 23, 1996 – January 10, 2014) was an American activist with progeria, an extremely rare and fatal disease that causes the body to age rapidly. Berns helped raise awareness about the disease[1] [2] and he was the subject of the HBO documentary Life According to Sam, which was first screened in January 2013.

Progeria Research Foundation

His parents, Scott Berns and Leslie Gordon, both pediatricians, received their son's diagnosis when he was less than two years old.[3] Roughly a year later, they established the Progeria Research Foundation[4] in an effort to increase awareness of the condition, to promote research into the underlying causes of and possible treatments for the disease. Moreover, they offer resources for the support of those with progeria and their families.[1] [5] [6]

Honors

Boston Bruins

On November 9, 2013, at a home game for the Boston Bruins, Berns helped host Progeria Awareness Night, sat with the team as an assistant equipment manager, and dropped the ceremonial first puck for that night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 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."[7] [8]

On January 14, 2014, the Bruins honored Berns with a moment of silence and a video tribute before the start of the game.[9]

New England Patriots

Berns was to be an honorary captain when the New England Patriots hosted the Indianapolis Colts in a divisional playoff game on January 11, 2014; however, he died on January 10, the evening before the game.[10] [11]

Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft issued a statement on the news of the passing of Berns.[12] "I loved Sam Berns and am richer for having known him," Kraft said.[13] [14]

TED Talk, Sam Berns

"My Philosophy for a Happy Life" was recorded in 2013 by Berns at the TEDxMidAtlantic[15] and has been viewed over 53 million times and has the most comments of any TEDTalk at over 51,000 (as of June 2024) .[16] [17] [18]

Life According to Sam

Life According to Sam is a 2013 documentary film based on the life of Berns and has been shown at film festivals, including Sundance, and it was broadcast on HBO in October. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it is among 15 documentaries considered for Oscar nominations.[19] [20] [21]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Sam Berns, 17, Public Face of a Rare Illness, Is Dead . Margalit . Fox . January 13, 2014 . . January 14, 2014 .
  2. Web site: The Short, Remarkable Life of Sam Berns Turned Spotlight on Progeria. https://web.archive.org/web/20140115201102/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/01/140114-progeria-disease-berns-children-premature-aging-research-gene-mutation/. dead. January 15, 2014. news.nationalgeographic.com. January 14, 2014.
  3. Web site: Progeria Research Foundation – Our Story. Progeria Research Foundation. Progeria Research Foundation. 15 January 2014.
  4. Web site: Progeria Research Foundation – Quick Facts. Progeria Research Foundation. Progeria Research Foundation. 15 January 2014.
  5. Web site: Life According To Sam Berns. October 16, 2013. Michele R.. Berman. MedPage Today. January 14, 2014.
  6. Revisiting Sam Berns. Vera. Titunik. October 2, 2012. The New York Times Magazine. January 14, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141229230613/http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/revisiting-sam-berns/. December 29, 2014. mdy-all.
  7. Web site: Sam Berns, public face of progeria, to be honored by Bruins. 14 Jan 2014. 25 Nov 2014. Sporting News.
  8. Web site: Remembering Sam- Boston Bruins. 14 Jan 2014. 25 Nov 2014.
  9. Web site: Remembering Sam. nhl.com.
  10. Web site: Robert Kraft: I fell in love with Sam Berns. Steve Buckley. bostonherald.com. January 12, 2014 .
  11. Web site: Sam G. Berns's Obituary on New York Times. New York Times. June 29, 2017.
  12. Web site: Statement from Robert Kraft on the passing of Sam Berns. New England Patriots. https://web.archive.org/web/20140112051244/https://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Statement-from-Robert-Kraft-on-the-passing-of-Sam-Berns/142129c6-b064-4d38-95d0-8f3a1611a511. January 12, 2014.
  13. News: Patriots, Bruins pay tribute to Foxboro teen who died of rare disease. Ben . Sumner . Washington Post.
  14. Web site: Kraft on Berns: I am Richer for Having Known Him. January 11, 2014. Foxborough, MA Patch.
  15. Web site: TEDxMidAtlantic. tedxmidatlantic.com. June 29, 2017.
  16. Web site: My philosophy for a happy life – Sam Berns – TEDxMidAtlantic. TEDx Talks. December 13, 2013. June 29, 2017. YouTube.
  17. News: Sam Berns, 17, Public Face of a Rare Illness, Is Dead. Margalit. Fox. The New York Times . January 13, 2014. June 29, 2017.
  18. Web site: The Short, Exuberant Life of Sam Berns. Robin Marantz. Henig. The 6th Floor Blog. January 13, 2014 . June 29, 2017.
  19. Web site: Life According to Sam. June 29, 2017.
  20. Web site: Life According to Sam (2013). . June 29, 2017.
  21. News: Robin Marantz Henig . Racing With Sam . The New York Times . 2005-01-30 . 2017-06-30.

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