ESPN Documentary About ‘SMA News Today’ Columnist to Air on Super Bowl Sunday
A clip from E:60's Facebook trailer of an ESPN documentary on columnist Alyssa Silva.
On Sunday, February 4, 2018, a feature-length documentary about SMA News Today columnist Alyssa Silva will air on ESPN 2. The film, Dare to be Remarkable, chronicles Silva’s life with SMA, as well as her lifelong love for the New England Patriots.
Silva has been filming this documentary since April 2017, after ESPN came across her website and reached out to her. The film features clips of Silva interacting with the team members of the Patriots, interviews from her and her family and how SMA has affected their lives, and her life since starting Spinraza.
“I tried being as open and vulnerable as possible during this process in order to really show the world the ups and downs of SMA,” Silva said. “I even brought the crew with me into the operating room to film my Spinraza injection.”
MORE: Follow Alyssa’s journey in her SMA News Today column, “Life, One Cup at a Time”
When asked about what this project means to her and what she hopes to accomplish with it, Silva said she hopes to provide the world with a better understanding of what life with SMA is like.
“I’m sure we can all attest to the fact that living with SMA can be very challenging at times,” she said. “However, there are remarkable people in the world who manage to sprinkle a little bit of kindness into the mundane of our lives, and the Patriots do that for me. They know how to make my bad days good and redefine what it means to be remarkable. I’ve always been inspired by their hard work on the field; but after getting a closer look at what takes place off the field, I am more inspired to not let this disease hold me back from doing the things I am passionate about. The class and character exemplified by the Patriots is admirable and something we should all aspire to be like. I really hope that by filming this, the world gets the same message.”
The full-length feature will air on Super Bowl Sunday at 9am ET on ESPN2. There will be a shortened version airing that same day at 10am ET on ESPN. This film was produced by Max Brodsky, an Emmy award-winning producer for E:60.
MORE: SMA author and nonprofit founder heads to China
SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
About the Author
