Tennessee Volunteers Fans Rally Behind Young Boy Diagnosed With Rare Disease Sometimes, college football reveals the best in humanity, even beyond the field.
On Saturday, December 21, the Ohio State Buckeyes faced the Tennessee Volunteers in a first-round college football playoff matchup. This marked only the second time these teams have ever played against each other. Fans, thrilled to witness the playoffs unfold in home stadiums for the first time, were buzzing with excitement.
Amid this fervor, life’s realities—both joyous and challenging—persist. This became evident when Brutus Stark, a Buckeye fan with the X username @iron_brutus, shared a heartbreaking update about his son Clark, who was recently diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome.
Sanfilippo syndrome, as explained by the Cleveland Clinic, is a rare genetic lysosomal storage disorder that primarily impacts the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include cognitive, behavioral, and physical challenges, such as intellectual disabilities, sleep disturbances, and respiratory issues.
This rare and fatal condition affects 1 in 50,000 to 250,000 children, with no known cure. Life expectancy varies between 11 and 32 years, depending on the specific type of the syndrome.Tennessee Volunteers Fans Support Young Boy Battling Rare Disease
Sometimes, college football shines a light on the best of humanity, even beyond the field.
On Saturday, December 21, the Ohio State Buckeyes hosted the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the college football playoffs, marking only the second meeting between these two teams. Excitement among fans was at an all-time high, as this historic matchup unfolded during the inaugural playoff games held at home stadiums.
Despite the electric atmosphere, life’s challenges continue, as illustrated by Buckeye fan Brutus Stark, known on X as @iron_brutus. Stark shared heartbreaking news about his son Clark, who was recently diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.
The Cleveland Clinic describes Sanfilippo syndrome as a lysosomal storage disorder that primarily affects the central nervous system, causing cognitive, behavioral, and physical symptoms such as sleep disturbances, intellectual disabilities, and respiratory issues. It is a fatal condition with no cure, affecting an estimated 1 in 50,000 to 250,000 children, and life expectancy ranges from 11 to 32 years.
Stark posted: “I will be taking time away from here to grieve this but just wanted to say thank you to all who I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with here over our shared love of college football and our Buckeyes. Once we’ve had time to grieve and process this, I’m sure I’ll be back because if there’s one thing my son loves, it’s Buckeye football. Go Bucks.”
The pain of receiving devastating news about a child is unimaginable. However, tough moments often inspire acts of kindness.
X user @BoCamaro, along with the Volunteer charity fan group @BeyondTheSnap, mobilized Tennessee fans to raise funds to send Stark and his son to the playoff game. Their efforts demonstrated the power of sports to bring people together, even across rival fanbases, in support of a greater cause.
