A Top Philanthropist Gives His Fortune Away

While losing his battle with colon cancer, “The Simpsons” co-creator Sam Simon is giving away his fortune to feed homeless people and rescue animals from being killed in animal shelters.

A diagnosis of terminal illness may eclipse one’s vision with melancholy and pain —  yet some have discovered strength and meaning in their last months of life through compassion and giving. Sam Simon, 59, co-creator of “The Simpsons,” the longest-running American sitcom, is determined to give away the fortune he has made from the show.

Credit: Sam Simon’s Twitter

Simon, who started The Simpsons together with Matt Groening in 1989, still receives tens of millions in royalties each season, even after having retired from the show in 1993.

Since his diagnosis in 2012, the cancer has spread to his kidneys, liver, brain and stomach. While chemotherapy was effective at first, it no longer seems to improve his condition, but even in this painful time during his last stages of cancer, Simon is busy allocating funds through his Sam Simon Foundation.

Credit: Wikipedia

The Sam Simon Foundation benefits people and pets by saving the lives of dogs and retraining them to enrich the lives of people. The rescued animals get a new chance in life as hearing dogs, service dogs for veterans, pet visitation animals in assisted living homes and new additions to families. The Sam Simon Foundation mobile pet clinic provides free spay and neuter services to stop pet overpopulation at its source. The foundation has also established a food bank in Los Angeles serving free wholesome vegan food to individuals and families in need.

“I get pleasure from it. I love it. I don’t feel like it is an obligation,” The Hollywood Reporter quotes Simon in the magazine’s write-up of 17 top philanthropists.

Credit: www.captiveanimals.org

Not only does Simon get pleasure from watching his wealth offer life and hope to people and animals, but he also gets to experience moments he didn’t think he would have otherwise—like watching rescued circus animals walk on grass for the first time in their lives. Simon has been buying up animals from traveling circuses and zoos and placing them in sanctuaries. According to ASPCA and PETA, animals used for entertainment are often abused, confined and suffer from violent training methods. “Freeing those animals, that’s something I’m not sure I would do if it weren’t for the cancer,” Simon told The Hollywood Reporter Magazine.

Simon’s causes of choice show quick results, which is understandable considering his precarious situation. “One of the things about animal rights, which is not the only thing that I care about in this world, is that your money can bring success. I see results. There is stuff happening, really good stuff every week. I’m not sure you get that with a lot of disease charities,” he said in his Hollywood Reporter interview.

Simon is not married and has no children, “The truth is, I have more money than I’m interested in spending. Everyone in my family is taken care of. And I enjoy this.” Getting pleasure from giving for a greater good adds strength and purpose even to the last months of life with terminal cancer.

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