Most people would not describe a terminal cancer diagnosis as an “amazing experience,” but then again, Sam Simon isn't "most people."
The 58-year-old may not have a famous face – you probably don’t even recognize him by name – but he’s been a juggernaut in the TV world since he pitched a little show he co-created to Fox: The Simpsons.
Simon, who started his career as a writer on beloved sitcoms like Taxi and Cheers, teamed up with pals Matt Groening and James L. Brooks over 27 years ago to bring to life the longest-running and most popular cartoon series in the history of television.
But it isn’t Simon’s funny bone that’s landed him in the news recently, it’s his fighting spirit.
In 2012, the show runner was diagnosed with a terminal form of colon cancer and given only months to live. “They showed me my scans,” Simon told NBC’s Maria Shriver, “They said, 'These are the scans of a dead man.' I said, 'Is it curable?' And they said, 'We don't use that word.'”
Faced with his own expiration date, Simon is choosing to do something extraordinary. After living a year longer than doctor’s initially expected him to, The Simpsons co-creator is focusing on helping others rather than dwelling on his terminal diagnosis.
After starting the Sam Simon Foundation to rescue dogs from animal shelters and train them to assist disabled veterans and the hearing impaired, Simon is working with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), using what time he has left to fund projects intended to save animals and help feed the homeless. He’s donating the entirety of his $100 million dollar fortune to charities he hopes will help those who can’t help themselves. “The thing about animals that speaks to me so much is that my passion for the animals and against animal abuse is based on the knowledge that these creatures which think and feel can't speak for themselves," the animal lover said. "I feel it is my responsibility to speak for those who can't speak for themselves."
But it isn’t just Simon’s generosity that makes his donation so inspiring, it’s also his outlook on life. While cancer is admittedly something the producer has “struggled with,” it’s also the thing that’s given him the most joy in his life. “Somehow I ended up surrounded by people who love me and take care of me and will do anything for me. That is called happiness. I think I may have had a problem letting it in before,” Simon told NBC. "Cancer has been a fight, a journey, an adventure and the most amazing experience of my life."
