Alabama Teenager Will Roberts, Whose Viral Plea for Bone Cancer Drug Captured National Attention, Dies at 15
核心洞察
Will Roberts, a 15-year-old from Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, died after his stage 4 bone cancer (搜索) progressed to his brain, affecting his mental capacity.
Roberts gained national attention in April after posting a viral video on his mother's Facebook page pleading for help finding a cancer drug.
The viral plea prompted outreach from lawmakers and Dr. Oz, who connected the family with a Santa Monica facility where Roberts received the drug Delta Rex G (搜索).
Will Roberts, a 15-year-old from Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, who captured national attention with a viral social media plea for a cancer drug, died just after midnight at a hospital in San Diego where he had been receiving care. His family announced his passing on Facebook, with his mother Brittney Roberts describing the profound loss and the difficult decision she and her husband Jason made as his disease progressed.
Roberts was diagnosed with stage 4 bone cancer (搜索) last year. According to his mother, the cancer showed progression of disease in his brain, affecting his mental capacity. Faced with this deterioration, Brittney and Jason Roberts "made a very selfless decision to stop the suffering."
"Will is finally ringing his forever cancer free bell as he entered the gates of Heaven," Brittney Roberts wrote. She and her husband were with Will as he took his last breath.
A Viral Plea That Moved the Nation
Roberts first gained national attention in April when he accessed his mother's Facebook page and posted a video pleading for help finding a cancer drug that could treat his condition. The video spread widely online, prompting outreach from lawmakers and Dr. Oz, who connected the family with a treatment facility in Santa Monica, California. At that facility, Roberts received a drug known as Delta Rex G (搜索).
Despite the treatment, Roberts' condition ultimately worsened. His mother noted that the cancer's progression into his brain proved insurmountable.
A Family's Gratitude and Grief
Brittney Roberts expressed deep gratitude to the thousands of people who supported the family throughout their journey. "You have prayed when we didn't have the strength. You celebrated every victory with us and cried through every setback. You loved Will like family, and we will spend the rest of our lives grateful for every single one of you," she wrote.
In a poignant detail, Brittney noted that Will died on her birthday, calling it a "gift" to know her son was in "the kingdom of Heaven." She wrote, "What a beautiful gift that God gave me today on my birthday ... What better gift could I have received than to know my baby boy is sitting with Jesus and is cancer free."
A Legacy of Courage
"Will was the funniest person in the room. Will had a personality that could light up a hospital floor. Will was stubborn enough to drive us crazy one minute and make us laugh the next. Will loved hard, fought harder, and never stopped believing there was another mountain to climb," his mother wrote.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey posted about Will's passing, saying his courage inspired everyone. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville also spoke on Will's death during a call with media, saying the 15-year-old will be deeply missed.
"Until I see you again, Will…I love you more than words will ever be able to say. It has been the greatest honor of my life to be your mama," Brittney Roberts wrote.