This teen kicked cancer and celebrated in a completely iconic way
No kid should ever have to battle cancer, but if they do, they might as well celebrate their recovery like 13-year-old Sean Bartolucci. Diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2014, Sean promised that once he was cancer-free, he’d run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, just like Sylvester Stallone famously did in Rocky.
And that’s exactly what Sean did last Sunday. After multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, and a stem cell transplant, he beat the disease that threatened to take away his childhood. He’s reportedly been cancer-free for several months but, as his father told The Patriot-News, this was the “exclamation point” at the end of a long journey.
Wearing a “Keep Calm And Fight On” t-shirt, which became his motto throughout treatment, he made the trek up the 72 steps of the museum. Once he reached the top, he raised his arms triumphantly, mimicking the famous scene from the film.
His mother, Michele Bartolucci, told WPVI:
He wasn’t alone in his celebration. Friends and family joined him on the climb, and the happiness is palpable. Now, he can focus all his energy on preparing for the eighth grade, after completing seventh grade through online classes all while undergoing treatment. It’s truly a remarkable feat, and his strength, both physically and emotionally, promises what we know will be an awesome future. All the hard stuff is over–now Sean is free to be a teenager!
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