Will Roberts, a 15-year-old Alabama resident battling stage four brain cancer, has died. His case gained national attention after he made a public plea for help on his mother's Facebook page on April 22, specifically appealing to President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Roberts had been fighting osteosarcoma for 16 months, and his mother noted that conventional chemotherapy was no longer effective.
Following his appeal, the message reached Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Oz connected the family with the Sarcoma Oncology Center in Santa Monica, California, which specializes in innovative clinical trials and experimental treatments. Roberts traveled to California for this specialized care and was later admitted to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.
On Thursday, Roberts' mother, Brittney Battles Roberts, announced his death. She shared that doctors had recently indicated his time was short and that she and her husband Jason made the decision to stop aggressive treatments and increase his sedation. "Will is finally ringing his forever cancer free bell as he entered the gates of Heaven!" Brittney Roberts wrote in her announcement, which coincided with her birthday.
She described her son as a vibrant individual who was the "funniest person in the room" and possessed a personality that could "light up a hospital floor." She also noted his stubbornness, his capacity for deep love, and his relentless fight against the disease, which had spread to his brain.
Roberts' mother had documented their family's journey on Facebook, sharing moments of hope, including progress with an experimental drug, alongside the emotional and physical toll of the illness. She expressed pride in her son's resilience in facing nearly two years of hardship. By late June or early July, her updates indicated a downturn, with widespread inflammation causing Will significant pain and exhaustion.
President Trump had previously offered support to Will, inviting him to visit the Oval Office and assuring him of his support in his battle.
Dr. Oz shared a message of condolence following the news, stating, "We just lost a remarkable young man. Will Roberts faced advanced osteosarcoma with extraordinary courage, surrounded every step of the way by the unwavering love of his parents and a medical team that pursued every advanced treatment modern medicine could offer." He added, "Some battles remind us how much work remains. Let’s honor Will by redoubling our commitment to finding cures so that no more families have to endure this devastating disease."