Foxborough High Senior Gift to Memorialize Sam Berns

As the seniors of Foxborough High School’s Class of 2015 prepare to graduate, student representatives are proposing a class gift that pays tribute to one of their most beloved classmates and Foxborough residents.

Monday night, Foxborough Class of 2015 student officers revealed plans for a memorial in memory of Sam Berns, who passed away after a battle with Progeria in January 2014.

The proposed memorial was presented at a school committee meeting by Class President Kayla Sepe and Student Representative Brian DeVellis, who wanted to pay tribute to their former classmate.

“After previously dedicating the turf field, we felt a way to further our tribute would be to build a garden and patio in remembrance of Sam. Along with his name on the scoreboard we hope to have an area that allows our community to have a personalized understanding of Sam,” Sepe said.

Plans for the memorial call for a garden area along with a plaque at Foxborough High School’s Sam Berns Community Turf Field. Given what Berns meant to the community, Sepe said they were aiming to create something that told visitors what he meant to Foxborough.

“The main goal is when people walk in the entrance. The sign is great and we love that and we love that people know this is the Sam Berns Community Field but we also want people to get a sense of Sam and who he was and his legacy and I think having a nice plaque and a garden would have a nice feel to it,” Sepe said.

DeVellis said the two have been in contact with Berns’ parents Leslie Gordon & Scott Berns, who are both supportive of the project.

The school committee endorsed the project, telling Sepe and DeVellis they would be willing to add to it if needed.

“It’s a great idea and you’re going to reach people outside of Foxborough who knew Sam and read about Sam so I think it’s a great idea,” committee member Tina Belanger said.

A member of the Class of 2015, Berns gained international notoriety in 2013 when the HBO documentary Life According to Sam chronicled the life of Berns as he battled the rapid aging disease known at Progeria. His efforts brought unseen attention to condition, leading to an unprecedented fundraising campaign included $500,000 in matching funds by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to the Progeria Research Foundation founded by Berns’ parents.

The cost of the project is estimated to be around $15,000. Sepe and DeVellis said they would reach out to the high school sports teams, youth sports organizations and Foxborough Music Association to assist in their efforts. In addition, a new GoFundMe campaign has been created to help raise funds. As of the morning of April 29, the page has raised $3,400.

Sepe said the class is hoping to have the memorial ready to be presented by graduation in June.

To donate to the class gift, click the GoFundMe link above.