# 17-year-old dies of old age **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608 "2014-01-12T20:52:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608/1 "2014-01-12T20:52:03Z")
[Sam Berns](http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/11/22270396-massachusetts-teen-dies-of-rare-aging-disease?lite), featured in [_Life According To Sam_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2558550/), has died of [progeria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progeria), a rare, premature aging disease. He was 17. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608/2 "2014-01-12T21:32:26Z")
I watched the documentary awhile back. Sam was an amazing kid. It probably helped that nobody tried to hold him back. He wanted to play drums in the marching band, but the drums were too heavy and his shoulders were too sloped for him to carry them comfortably. So they rigged a special harness for him, and he marched and played the drums. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608/3 "2014-01-12T21:38:35Z")
So sad…is there a genetic analog condition that results in extremely slow aging? ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608/4 "2014-01-12T21:45:01Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > So sad…is there a genetic analog condition that results in extremely slow aging? > **[The Curious Case of Brooke Greenberg: 16-Year-Old Has the Body and Mind of a...](https://www.foxnews.com/story/the-curious-case-of-brooke-greenberg-16-year-old-has-the-body-and-mind-of-a-toddler)** > > At 16-years-old Brooke Greenberg can't walk or talk and resembles a baby. But she may be the 'fountain of youth' ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608/5 "2014-01-12T21:48:15Z")
There is, and it’s no good, either. There is a story somewhere of this little girl who is stalled at toddlerhood. She’s 21, but has only developed to about the age, physical and mental, of a 3-year-old. She is being studied by anti-aging people. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608/6 "2014-01-12T21:56:15Z")
Brooke Greenberg, who I believe the previous two posters were referencing, died in October 2013. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608/7 "2014-01-12T22:34:33Z")
Geez, and I thought this was about a Star Trek episode. ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-year-old-dies-of-old-age/678608/8 "2014-01-13T05:20:37Z")
Jesus, that photograph is heartbreaking. Don’t think I’d ever make it through watching the film. The Boston Herald says that there are around 250 kids living with Progeria at any given time. Thank Cecil it’s extremely rare.