THE STORY
BEHIND THE STORY
A journey through survival, football, second chances, and the realization that one decision can change everything.
It Started With Football
I've been a Bears fan my whole life. Like most fans, I spent years riding the highs, heartbreaks, and endless optimism that next year is our year.
Football was always more than a game. It was routine. It was connection. It was something familiar you could count on each week. Win or lose, it gave me something to look forward to.
I never imagined there would come a time when I would hold onto it for something much bigger.
Everything Changed
In late 2022, my life changed overnight.
What started as health concerns quickly became hospital visits, procedures, uncertainty, and eventually a diagnosis that forced me to face something I never expected. My health had failed, and suddenly I was fighting for my life.
My world became smaller:
Doctor appointments. Blood draws. Waiting rooms. And a lot of waiting.
As daily life slowly shifted around doctor visits and uncertainty, I found myself looking for anything that could create some sense of normalcy.
The Bears Are Going To Be Good This Year…
...But I might not live to see it. I remember thinking that after the Bears traded the number one pick and the excitement around the season started building.
It sounds dark, maybe even funny, but when your world becomes uncertain, your mind starts attaching itself to the things that make you feel normal. For me, it was the Bears.
It became my distraction, my hope, something to believe in while I fought through everything happening around me.
I Lived
Because Someone Checked A Box
Everything changed because of someone I never met. Organ donation gave me a second chance.
Not just more time.
Another season.
Another story.
Another opportunity to be here.
Someone made a decision that took only seconds, but that decision change the course of my life forever.
Why This Film Exists
As an award-winning filmmaker, I never expected to become the subject of my own story.
After recovery, I couldn't shake the feeling that this experience needed to become something more. What started as a personal journey sparked an idea for my next film.
Life & Near Death of a Bears Fan is a way of telling a deeply personal story of how my fight for survival paralleled with the emotional rollercoaster of the Bears' 2023 season. But somewhere along the way, it became something bigger than just a documentary for me.
Bigger Than A Film
This story isn't only about football.
It also isn't only about illness, and it's definitely not only about me.
It's about gratitude, it's about giving back, and starting a conversation around organ donation and how one small decision can change countless lives.
This film became an opportunity to turn survival into purpose and help create more second chances for others.
Join the Journey
Whether you're a Bears fan, filmmaker, collaborator, advocate, or someone whose life has been touched by organ donation, you're part of why this story is being told.