Sammy Basso is dead: progeria sufferer dies at the age of 28

Sammy Basso, the oldest known sufferer of the rare genetic disease progeria, died on Saturday at the age of 28. The Italian Progeria Association he founded announced this on Sunday. According to Italian media reports, he suddenly felt unwell while visiting a restaurant and died shortly afterwards.

Basso completed his science studies at the University of Padua in 2018 with a thesis on possible therapies to slow the progression of the disease.

Progeria, also called Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome (HGPS), leads to greatly accelerated aging. If left untreated, life expectancy is only around 13.5 years. According to the association, the disease affects one in eight million people. Affected children show signs of hair loss and skin changes at a young age, which usually only appear in old age.

Basso was born in Schio, northern Italy, in 1995 and was diagnosed at the age of two. In 2005 he and his parents founded the Italian Progeria Association. He became known through the National Geographic documentary “Sammy’s Journey,” which shows his journey along Route 66 in the USA.

«Our light source, our guide has gone out. Thank you, Sammy, for sharing your wonderful life with us,” the association wrote on Instagram.

There are only 130 recognized cases of classical progeria worldwide, four of which are in Italy. However, the association estimates there could be up to 350 cases because the disease is particularly difficult to detect in developing countries.

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