Activist whose struggle with a disease called progeria was documented in an HBO special titled Life According to Sam. Throughout his short life, he promoted awareness of his rare disorder.
He was diagnosed with progeria, a disease that causes premature aging and early death, when he was just over a year old.
Life According to Sam was screened at the 2013 Sundance film festival.
His mother and father, both pediatricians, established the Progeria Research Foundation.
He became friends with Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara in 2006 and performed the ceremonial dropping of the puck at a Bruins game in 2013.
