A young Ontario man who looked decades older due to a rare condition has died.
Devin Scullion had Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, which caused his body to age far faster than normal, according to the Hamilton Spectator.
He passed away on Sunday night at age 20.
His mom, Jamie Madley, expressed her grief on Instagram.
Children with Scullion’s condition are born healthy, but start to show signs of aging during their first two years, according to the Progeria Research Foundation.
They may stop growing, lose body fat and hair, develop stiff joints and hardened arteries.
They usually die of heart disease around age 14.
But Scullion may have beat the odds because of a drug called Lonafarnib that he took as part of a clinical trial, Madley told CTV News in 2015, that reversed the hardening in his arteries.
“I will kick progeria's butt. I promise you that,” he told the broadcaster that year.
But he still suffered health problems — frequent arthritis, two strokes as a young child and even a near-heart attack a couple of years ago, according to Global News. He was also believed to be progeria's second-oldest patient.
Scullion graduated from high school and even took flying lessons, according to CBC News.
He also loved video games and was a huge Hamilton Tiger-Cats fan. He met offensive tackle Xavier Fulton a couple of months ago.
Not even an angina attack would keep him from watching a game.
The team paid tribute to their uber-fan on Sunday, saying he was “one of the bravest members in the TigerTown community.”
Progeria Research Foundation executive director Meryl Fink told CBC News that Scullion’s medical information will be added to a database to help researchers understand his disorder better.
A GoFundMe page has been started to raise money for his family, as well as contribute to research.
“A true Hamiltonian,” wrote donor Andy Mckinlay.
“Brave with an exceptional attitude. Will be sadly missed in the community.”