Sam Berns remembered as witty, smart It’s hard to imagine many 17-year-olds having an impact on so many people in life and in death as Sam Berns. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT WE WILL STAY ON THE SCENE UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY OUT TONIGHT AS WELL. HE LIVED FOR 17 SHORT YEARS BUT FOXBOROUGH'S SAM BYRNES IS LEAVING BEHIND A LASTING LEGACY. HE BATTLED A RARE GENETIC CONDITION THAT ACCELERATES THE AGING PROCESS. KELLEY TUTHILL SHE'S US HOW HIS FAMILIES EFFORTS ARE LEADING TO LONGER LIVES FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE DISEASE. HELLO, EVERYONE. I'M SAM. IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE MANY 17-YEAR-OLDS HAVING AN IMPACT ON SO MANY PEOPLE IN LIFE AND IN DEATH. WHEN SAM BYRNES WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PEOGERIA AT 22 MONTHS, LITTLE WAS KNOWN ABOUT THE RARE ACCELERATING AGING DISEASE. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL BAD FOR ME. I DON'T THINK ABOUT THESE OBSTACLES ALL THE TIME AND I'M ABLE TO OVERCOME MOST OF THEM ANYWAY. HE CHANGED ALL THAT, GIVING A TED TALK, HIS LIFE FEATURED IN AN HBO DOCUMENTARY, RAISING MONEY AND AWARENESS FOR THE FOUNDATION HIS PARENTS STARTED. WITHOUT THE FAMILY THERE WOULD BE NO CLINICAL TRIAL NO, TREATMENT AND NO HOPE FOR CHILDREN WITH THIS DISEASE. THAT IS SAM'S GIFT AND THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. IN THE PAST 12 YEARS, RESEARCHERS LED BY SAM'S MOTHER, DR. LESLIE GORDON, ISOLATED THE GENE THAT CAUSED THE DISEASE AND DEVELOPED A DRUG THAT PROLONGS LIFE. NOW MORE THAN 40 CHILDREN FROM AROUND THE GLOBE PARTICIPATE IN A CLINICAL TRIAL AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. ALL INSPIRED BY A YOUNG MAN WHO GAVE THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS PEP TALKS. ONE, TWO, THREE. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED, HE LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND HE WAS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO REALLY JUST LOVED HIS FAMILY, LOVED HIS FRIENDS, LOVED HIS LIFE AND TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT. I HAVE A VERY HAPPY LIFE. THE SUPERINTENDENT TELLS US TONIGHT SAM'S PASSING HAS LEFT THE FOXBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMUNITY HEART BROKEN, CALLING SAM WITTY, BRILLIANT ARE LOVING AND KIND. A POWERFUL

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