Foxborough’s Sam Berns, a 17-year-old high school student with the very rare premature-aging disease progeria, has died, NewsCenter 5 confirmed.

Sam Berns, 17, died Friday of complications from Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

FOXBORO -- The Progeria Research Foundation is holding a fundraiser Wednesday in town to find a cure for the rapid aging disease that inflicted Sam Berns.

Dr. Leslie Gordon started the Progeria Research Foundation after her son, Sam Berns, was diagnosed with progeria. There’s now an FDA-approved drug for it.

The year before Sam Berns died at 17 of progeria, an ultra-rare fatal genetic disease that causes premature aging, the Foxborough High School student said he hoped his mother, a physician, would ...

Getty Images The 17-year-old boy, Sam Berns, who became the face of progeria, also famously called the “Benjamin Button” disease, died in 2014 from complications of the disease.

A custom lego mural built for the late Sam Berns will be auctioned off at the Progeria Research Foundation gala. It's signed by all 4 Boston sports teams.

Sam Berns, who died in 2014 at age 17 from complications of progeria, gained renown when a TEDx Talk he gave in 2013 went viral.

This is the first year that Sam Berns won’t lace up his sneakers for the annual 5K road race to support research for a rare and deadly disease — progeria.

Courtesy photoThe late Sam Berns is seen here at the 2013 International Race for Research to benefit the Progeria Research Foundation. Sam died earlier this year at age 17 due to complications ...