THE MOVIE
Life & Near Death of a Bears Fan
About The Film
What happens when the season you’ve been waiting for finally arrives, and you’re not sure you’ll be here to see it?
After being diagnosed with liver failure, filmmaker Mark Chervinsky found himself fighting for his life while following the highs and lows of the Chicago Bears’ 2023 season. Life and Near Death of a Bears Fan is a story about survival, belief, and finding reasons to keep holding on when everything around you feels uncertain.
This is more than a sports documentary. It’s a story about hope and second chances.
Act I:
The Diagnosis
Mark Chervinsky has measured life in Chicago Bears seasons. Every year brought new hope and ended in disapointment.
Just as Lovie Smith went for two and handed the Bears the number one pick, fans were celebrating the future, but Mark was fighting for his life.
Diagnosed with liver failure, his doctor gave him a stark warning: "If you drink again, you're going to die." Life became hospitals, blood draws, and the hope that, finally, the Chicago Bears were good again.
Act II:
The System Breaks
As Mark's health rapidly declined, he kept the truth from his family as long as he could.
In the spring of 2023, the Bears traded the number one pick to Carolina. While fans celebrated the future, he had one thought: "Oh great... the Bears are gonna be good this year, and I'm not gonna live to see it."
After six months of sobriety, he finally became eligible for the liver transplant list. But a referral error left him lost in the system. Cedars-Sinai didn't even know he existed.
Act III:
I Got You Now
The Bears opened the season 0-4, far from the 13-4 record experts had predicted. But while the Bears' season was heading in the wrong direction, Mark's story was finally beginning to turn.
A chance lunch with a nurse friend uncovered the referral mistake that had left him lost in the system.
Later that day, a transplant coordinator named Michelle called. After hearing his story, she simply said, "I got you now."
Two days later, the phone rang.
Act IV:
The Call
"Do you want to come in tomorrow and get a new liver?"
What was assumed would take months, if ever, was two days. Mark's wife had already booked a work trip, and was about tho leave. There wasn't much time to process what was happening.
The next morning Mark dropped his wife off at LAX and drove himself to the hospital.
Thirteen hours late, he woke up with a second chance at life.
Act V:
Another Season
Ten days later, Mark was watching the Bears stomp Detroit from his hospital bed when his surgeon stopped by. The conversation quickly turned to the Bears.
That's when Mark learned that the man who literally saved his life was also a Bears fan. In Southern California, bears conversations are a rarity, but sometimes the best ones come from unexpected places and second chances.
The Bears may have missed the playoffs, but Mark would live to see another season.
Act VI:
The Gift
Everything changed because a 34-year-old man named Spencer checked a box.
It's a decision most people make in seconds. For Mark, it meant a lifetime. One donor can save up to eight lives.
What started as a personal journey became a larger mission: using storytelling to raise awareness around organ donation and help others receive the same second chance.
Because this isn't just a story about football.
Story & Style
Life and Near Death of a Bears Fan blends the emotional weight of a medical documentary with the passion, humor, and heartbreak of lifelong sports fandom. Inspired by the storytelling style of ESPN’s 30 for 30, the film is honest, raw, darkly funny, and ultimately inspiring.
Part medical documentary and part sports-fan memoir, this is a story about resilience, second chances, and finding something to believe in when everything else feels uncertain. More than a film, it’s a project with the power to spark conversations, build partnerships, and create real-world impact.
This Isn’t Just A Sports Documentary
I Lived Because Someone Checked a Box
Help Bring This Story To Life
Life and Near Death of a Bears Fan is more than a documentary. It’s a mission-driven project using storytelling to spark conversations, raise awareness around organ donation, and create real-world impact.
We’re currently seeking:
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Co-Producers
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Nonprofit Partners
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Distributors
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Organ Donation Advocates
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Strategic Partners & Supporters