The amazing final days of ‘The Simpsons’ co-creator who donated $100M to charity and still inspires

In 2012, Sam Simon was told he had advanced cancer and might have only three months to live — yet the amazing story of how he spent his remaining years continues to inspire people today.

By then, Sam Simon was already a successful television writer and well-known philanthropist.

As a co-creator of “The Simpsons,” he had helped shape one of the most influential animated series in history.

He had earned an estimated $100 million and had long supported charitable causes.

But the diagnosis changed everything.

After reviewing troubling scans, doctors confirmed the cancer was incurable.

Treatment could help extend his life, but it could not remove the disease, The Washington Post noted.

Simon asked the question anyone in his position would: Could it be cured? The answer was no.

The news was devastating.

Yet what followed revealed something powerful about him and defined the final years of his life — a period marked by courage, clarity, and generosity.

Facing a terminal diagnosis with clarity

For years before the diagnosis, Simon had felt unwell but did not know why.

He tried to figure it out himself, watching TV medical programs and taking different pills.

Nothing helped. Eventually, doctors confirmed the truth.

While the news was grim, Simon later said he had never been happier and credited his doctor for doing a remarkable job.

This perspective led him to commit his $100 million fortune to charity.

He stopped driving and reduced his television watching.

Hollywood deadlines no longer felt urgent.

Instead, he focused on giving his wealth and time to causes he cared about.

Money had brought him success, but it could not stop cancer.

That reality shaped the final chapter of his life.

Honors and recognition for Sam Simon while he was still living

As news of his illness spread, honors came quickly.

Lifetime achievement awards, buildings named after him, and other recognitions arrived while he was still alive.

He understood the irony.

“The sort of lifetime achievement stuff that I’m getting now is kind of like Tom Sawyer’s funeral because they all know I’m sick,” he told Hollywood Reporter in 2013.

“I am getting buildings named after me and awards and stuff. 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.”

Simon had no children, and his family was financially secure. That allowed him to focus fully on using his wealth for good.

Turning wealth into purpose

Even before his diagnosis, Simon had supported charities. But after learning he was terminally ill, he accelerated his giving.

He founded the Sam Simon Foundation, which rescues dogs and trains service animals.

The foundation provides assistance dogs to people who cannot walk and to veterans struggling after returning from war. Animals were deeply important to him.

He also supported PETA, Save the Children, and groups that protect the ocean. He spoke against harming animals for scientific testing.

He believed that living as a vegan — eating only plant-based foods — could help reduce hunger and fight climate change.

Most importantly, giving brought Simon joy.

“I get pleasure from it. I love it. I don’t feel like it is an obligation,” Simon said during an interview.

An unusual presence in the comedy world

Those who knew Simon noticed how focused he became during his final years.

Comedy writer Merrill Markoe described him as rare in his field:

“In the field of comedy writing, full to overflowing with the sedentary, the professionally whiny, and the proudly self-involved, Sam Simon stands out as an anomaly.”

Even while battling cancer, he worked quickly. He wanted every dollar directed carefully to causes he believed in. He did not want delays. He wanted impact.

At one point, he underwent major surgery that nearly cost him his life.

When he recovered, he became even more determined to finalize his charitable plans so the work would continue long after he was gone.

How Sam Simon found meaning while facing cancer

Simon spoke openly about what cancer had taught him. While many would describe the illness only as tragic, he saw it differently.

“Cancer has been a fight,” he told NBC. “It’s been an adventure. It’s been an education. It’s been the most amazing experience of my life.”

Those words revealed his perspective. The diagnosis forced clarity. It gave him time to reflect and act with intention.

Born in 1955 in Los Angeles, Simon later attended Stanford University.

He began drawing cartoons for newspapers before moving into television writing.

At just 25, he wrote for the sitcom Taxi.

Later, he helped develop The Simpsons, shaping many early stories before leaving the show in 1993.

Even after leaving, he continued to earn significant income from the show’s success.

Yet it was not only television that defined him.

This chapter of Sam Simon’s life — marked by generosity, urgency, and gratitude — continues to inspire. It shows that even in the face of death, a person can choose purpose over fear.

And even years later, that choice still speaks for him.

Watch one of the last interviews of Sam Simon as he shares his inspiring decision to give his fortune to charity.