Sean Lewis Robins
December 27, 1983 ~ November 17, 2006
Sean Lewis Robins was born in Detroit in 1983 to his parents, Amy and Mitchell.
Seany grew up as the middle child with older brother, Alexander, and little sister,
Emily. At age 7, Sean moved with his family to San Diego. There he grew older and
stronger, excelling at outdoor sports and flourishing in the California sun.
Later Sean attended Francis Parker for both middle and high school, where he spent
his days growing and learning as a happy, successful, healthy teenager. Sean was
even placed on the school's Varsity Baseball team as a freshman. He played 2nd base
until the middle of his sophomore year when he was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma
(a rare bone cancer). Sean fought valiantly and went into remission. It was at this
time Sean discovered a new passion: acting. Although he began his drama career later
than many of his peers, Seany was a natural and excelled on the stage. In fact,
when Sean was 18 years old, he won a lead role, playing Daddy Warbucks in a local
theatre production of "Annie."
Perhaps Sean's biggest role was that of hero to his family. This was particularly
when, in 2002, Sean graduated with his class in spite of a year filled with chemotherapy,
radiation, and all the difficulties associated with childhood cancer. And no one
was more proud than Sean and his family when he was accepted into the Weinberg College
of Arts and Sciences at the prestigious Northwestern University in Chicago. Sadly,
Sean enrolled in classes twice, but was never able to attend.
It was a long, difficult struggle for Sean. After being diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma
at 16, Seany fought for his life for the next seven years. Although the statistics
were bleak for his prognosis, he never lost his will to live or the belief that
he would survive. He kept a positive outlook and went on with his life, becoming
a guide and leader to other teens fighting cancer. Sean endured countless treatments
and procedures, many of which had never before been used by someone with Ewing's.
With his seemingly endless optimism, Sean believed each experimental treatment or
procedure would be "the one." This often led him to recite phrases such as "Third
time's a charm!" and "When nothing is certain, everything is possible."
Sean was a wise individual long before and during his cancer. His spirit ran deep
and he had a taste for proverbial literary quotes from some of the greatest minds
of the human age. His favorite was the American intellectual Ralph Waldo Emerson.
These poignant truths expressed what Seany stood for and acted as his steed, carrying
him through the battle for his life. True to his rich character, he deeply believed
Emerson's quote, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters
compared to what lies within us."
He was a pioneer who fought until his final hour for his own life and the hopes
of inspiring an image of strength in all humans who suffer through cancer. In Seany's
notebook he wrote down this quote by Kahlil Gibran: "Birth and Death are the two
noblest expressions of bravery." We can only ask to borrow some of Seany's strength
and wisdom when we too slip into the dying of the light. He will be remembered and
loved through his mission, which The Seany Foundation is carrying out. We carry
his flame of hope and empathy, for those who suffer, that mere death cannot extinguish.
Read about Sean's life in his own words...
~ Sean's Online CarePages ~