Week in Review: Life According to Sam, Foxboro Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder, and More

Goal Achieved: Kraft Challenge Raises Nearly $1.18 Million for Progeria Research

About two weeks ago, Patriots owner Robert Kraft promised to match $500,000 in donations to Progeria research if the amount was reached by Sam Berns' 17th birthday on Nov. 23. With the deadline passed, the Progeria Research Foundation proudly announced in an email to supporters that the goal has been met and exceeded by a considerable amount.

Donors gave $678,262 to the foundation during the period for the Kraft Challenge. Kraft’s donation of $500,000 brings the total to $1,178,262.

The money will be used to start a new clinical trial and research for finding a cure for Progeria.

After Recent Vehicle Break-ins, Police Asking for Help From Public

After multiple reports and investigations of vehicle break-ins around South Foxboro during the overnight hours, the Foxboro Police Department is now asking the public for help.

In a message on their Facebook page, the department is asking the public to contact the police regarding anybody or anything suspicious you see or hear in your neighborhood.

A Special Happy Birthday from Foxboro Football to Sam Berns

To celebrate Sam Berns' 17th birthday yesterday, members of the Foxboro High School football team gathered for a photo to give Burns a happy birthday. To see the photo, click here.

A Day with Sam

Spend a day with Sam Berns and you are bound to laugh, smile and be inspired.

It happens frequently to those closest to Sam and it happened on a Saturday morning in September to New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft during a memorable visit with the young Foxborough resident at Gillette Stadium.

“I have the great privilege of meeting a lot of cool people: Presidents of countries, movie stars, great athletes, you-name-it. But it’s been a long time since I’ve run in to someone as cool and inspirational as Sam Berns,” Kraft said.

Sam, 16, lives with progeria, an extremely rare disease characterized by accelerated aging that affects just one in four million newborns. Those odds currently make Sam one of only about 250 children diagnosed with progeria in the world. Despite his challenges, Sam remains upbeat and enjoys life as a high school junior in Foxborough, where he excels in the classroom and performs on the drum line of the school’s marching band.

Foxboro Man Pleads Guilty in Attempted Murder Trial

Glenn Saltis will spend the next few years of his life in jail after pleading guilty in Dedham Superior Court to seven charges related to the attempted murder of his ex-wife.

After initially pleading not guilty, Saltis as pleaded guilty to seven charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to maim, assault and battery, aggravated assault and battery, intimidating a witness, mayhem, and uttering threats.

Saltis must serve 3-4 years in a Massachusetts prison, wear a GPS monitoring device for two years, serve five years probations, and will have to complete a 45 week of a batterers counseling program. He also must stay away from his ex-wife.

Suicide Victim Found Near Neposent River

A recovered body near Edwards Road has been ruled a suicide by investigators.

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, the body of a deceased male was found on the shore of the Neposent River near Edwards Road.

The name of the victim, who is a Wrentham resident formerly from Foxboro, has not been released by police but the family has been notified.

According to Foxboro Police Chief Ed O’Leary, the body was found when a neighbor visiting a house nearby saw the victim’s truck parked on the road and went to the river to visit with the person. After arriving at the river, the body was discovered.