NMF Mourns the Loss of its Honorary Co-Chair, Vincent Schiavelli

Vincent Schiavelli with the Burrus brothers, of Indiana, at the
NMF’s 1998 Annual Conference in New York

PORT WASHINGTON, NY, Dec. 27 – The National Marfan Foundation mourns the loss of its Honorary Co-Chair, Vincent Schiavelli, the actor who died yesterday from lung cancer. Schiavelli, who was 57 years old, died in Italy.


Schiavelli, who was affected with the Marfan syndrome, was a long-time supporter of the National Marfan Foundation, playing a significant role at the NMF’s Annual Conference for many years. He led the conference’s “Teen Group” year after year. He devoted countless hours to talking with adolescents about achieving their goals, despite being affected by a potentially fatal connective tissue disorder. He truly enjoyed just spending time with these affected young adults, who he called his "genetic brothers and sisters.” He made a tremendous impression on the teens, who admired Vince for his ability to refuse to let Marfan syndrome prevent him from pursuing his acting and writing career with gusto and determination and just enjoying life in general.

Said one NMF member, Ed Page, of Midlothian, VA: “I will miss Vincent so much. I met him in 1995 when he ran the teen workshop at the annual conference in St. Louis. He made quite an impression on me at the time … he recognized that I was a worrier and he talked to me about it that day in a kind, gentle way that showed me I needed to be more independent and less of a worry-wart.”

“Vincent Schiavelli was truly one-of-a-kind,” said NMF Board Chair Joseph R. Gagliano, Jr. “Despite a very busy career, he took time each year to work with young people who were trying to cope with the many trials and tribulations of living with the Marfan syndrome and yet still be a ‘regular’ teenager. As a role model for this group, Vince was unequalled. It was apparent that he got as much out of working with the teenagers as they did from spending time with him.”

The NMF is grateful that Vincent shared so much of himself with the Marfan community and sends its sincerest condolences to his family at this difficult time.