The Amazing Story of Seth Cook

Once you learn about Seth Cook's battles, you might think every day of his life would be a brutal uphill climb.

But Seth would say he's having too much fun to complain. He considers himself the luckiest kid in the world, with great parents and the coolest dog around.

No matter what the obstacle, Seth seems to find a way to pick himself up and keep coming back for more.
Above all, this is a boy in a hurry. There's no time to waste. For Seth, life is too precious: a non-stop joyride that could end anytime.

Kyle Cook, Seth's father: All three of us know it's inevitable, it's gonna happen. We just have to be as ready as we can be for it.

Patti Cook, Seth's mother: I do believe that God chose us to raise Seth. I don't think this was an accident.

Seth's mom and dad, Patti and Kyle, were off-and-on high school sweethearts from the tiny logging town of Darrington, Washington.

Patti: It took me moving away to realize that he couldn't live without me. (laughter)
When she returned to Darrington, they started dating again. Then in 1992, they got married and not long after, Patti got pregnant. It was something she discovered on her 21st birthday.

Rob Stafford: Happy birthday.

Patti: Oh, yeah. It was the best birthday present I'd ever gotten.

Kyle, an avid outdoorsman, was desperate for a son and on July 22, 1993 he got his wish. Seth Anthony Cook arrived with blond hair and blue eyes.

Patti: He looked like a really healthy baby boy. He had good coloring. He just was a cutie.

Stafford: So you two have everything you want?

Patti: Yeah.

Seth was the picture-perfect baby-- or so his parents thought.

Stafford: What was the first sign that something might be wrong?

Patti & Kyle: By three months, we were starting to get concerned.

Seth's skin started to tighten. He was losing his hair, and he couldn't gain weight, despite a hearty appetite.

Kyle: We had grandmas and grandpas trying to help put weight on him, too. It wasn't working. Nothing was working.

Doctors in Darrington and elsewhere were baffled. Then, before Seth's second birthday, they got an answer. But not the one his parents wanted.

Patti was home alone when the diagnosis arrived in the mail.

Stafford: What did the letter say?

Patti: The letter said that it's progeria.

Stafford: Progeria.

Which meant Seth would never grow up. He would just grow old at an astonishing rate.

Victims of progeria essentially have the bodies of 70 and 80-year-olds. In many ways they resemble their own grandparents more than kids their own age.

They face the same serious health risks as their grandparents: Catastrophic heart attacks and strokes that can happen anytime. It’s an extraordinarily rare disease. There are only about 40 diagnosed cases of progeria in the world today.

Back in 1995, when Patti read the letter disclosing Seth's diagnosis, it laid out a bleak future:
"Heart disease, thinning of the skin, loss of hair and loss of bone strength occur in childhood or early teenage years- currently we have no way to halt these changes."

Stafford: And you're sitting there at home...

Patti: By myself with this letter.

Stafford: What is that moment like?

Patti: I was in shock. It had to be the loneliest moment I think I'd ever had. You know I thought this wasn't gonna end well.

Stafford: Do you feel like just going into a corner and crying?

Patti: Well, I think I did a couple of times.

For support, Patti and Kyle sought out the Sunshine Foundation, an organization that grants wishes to sick children. In 1995, Seth and his mom and dad attended Sunshine's Annual Reunion for Progeria kids and their parents, the real experts on this disease.

Kyle: We got more information from other parents than any doctor could ever tell us.

Stafford: How did you feel these children looked?

Kyle: They looked aged.

Patti: Weak. It was hard to look at the older kids and see what tomorrow had in store for us.

But Seth has made it easier for them, just because of the kind of kid he is.

Patti: He was no different than anyone else in his own eyes-- in his own mind. He was really
eager to learn things and he wanted to go. He was ready to go a hundred miles an hour everywhere. He learned to walk before he could crawl.

Stafford: So right away, Seth is a boy in a hurry?

Patti: Yes. Ready to go.

Stafford: Do you think there's a reason for that?

Patti: Oh, yeah. I don't think he ever, at any point, was ready to see life pass him by.

A boy in a hurrySeth Cook, 11, is a little boy with a big pencil—and an even bigger problem: Math. Like any school kid, Seth would rather be anywhere else, but math class is where we found him first.

Rob Stafford, Dateline correspondent: How are you doing?

Seth Cook, boy with progeria: Good. How 'bout you?

Stafford: Good. My name is Rob.

Seth: Nice to meet you.

Stafford: Nice to meet you. I think we have something in common.

Seth: Really?

Stafford: I don't like math!

(Seth laughs)
With a disease that perversely turns years and numbers upside-down, maybe it's no coincidence that Seth and math have always been at odds.

Stafford: I saw your report card. You're passing.

Seth: Yeah, see, you don't know the date on that report card though. (chuckle)

Stafford: Oh, things have changed since the last report card?

Seth: Little bit. (chuckle)

Though she had concerns, Patti believed Seth should go to public school, rather than be home-schooled.

But Seth's father, Kyle, was uneasy, considering the fact Seth is just over 3 feet tall and weighs only 25 lbs.

Patti: Dad was worried he was gonna get picked on.

Kyle: Picked on or get knocked over.

Patti: Get hurt.

Stafford: You were worried about that?

Kyle: Sure. If you stand him up right now next to his classmates they just tower over him.

On this school day, Seth is offering his sixth-grade classmates a living lesson in nutrition: "Saturated Fat by Seth Cook."

Seth: Saturated fat plays a big role in my life. My body is getting older faster than most people.

Amazingly, what others see as a burden, Seth sees as a blessing.

Seth: I'm one of 40 kids in the whole wide world that has progeria. So it's really neat.

Patti: By the time he was in grade school he knew that he was special, and we'd always told him that he was special.

At 11, Seth is about the size of an average 2-to-3-year-old and this is as big as he'll ever get. He's a young boy trapped in an old man's body-- no hair, wrinkled skin, and severe arthritis, especially in his knees and hips.

It’s his fragile cardio-vascular system, with the imminent threat of heart attacks, seizures and strokes that poses the biggest risk to Seth and other progeria kids.

Seth has to read nutrition labels and limit his fats.

Stafford: What are the things that you want to eat, but you just can't eat?

Seth: I don't get corned beef hash all that often.

Still, Seth doesn't seem to dwell on what he can't have. He focuses on what he can do. He’s about as well adjusted a pre-teen as you could find, whose best friend is his ubiquitous dog, a rat-terrier named Bullet and crazy for X-box games.

Stafford: How many hours have you logged with X-box?

Seth: I don't know. I'm happy though because X-box doesn't tell you how long you've been playing.

Stafford: You don't want to know.

Seth: I don't want to know.

Even with stubbed fingers, a common characteristic of progeria, Seth has become adept at the controls, an activity at which he can compete on an equal footing.

Stafford: I think this is the home court advantage right here.

But, with fragile bones, he's fearful of playing team sports or rough-housing with rowdy friends.

Patti: He says, "Those kids are crazy." They run around. He goes, "I'd get knocked over, mom." He usually himself will not do something if he's not confident.

Keeping Seth physically safe is one thing, but protecting him from hurt feelings can be more difficult-- like the time a young girl was adamant that Seth was actually a toy.

Patti: She walked up to Seth and told him he was not real. She said, "You're not real. Mommy, look at this boy. He's a doll. He's not real." I was in shock. I didn't know what to say. I decided to apologize to Seth for how she had acted and he said, "Mom, why are you sorry?" I said, “Some of the things she said weren't very nice. I thought maybe they were a little bit rude." He said, "Mom, she just doesn't know who I am."

That gave Patti the idea to introduce the "Real Seth" to every incoming kindergarten student at Darrington Elementary School.

Patti: I realized there will be kids that don't know who he is but in Darrington we have control of that.

On many Mondays, Seth reads a favorite book to an enthusiastic class of kindergarten students. Patti's plan is working for Seth and his new friends who enjoy his company so much they now seem oblivious to his condition.

Stafford, talking to the kindergarten class: How is Seth different?

Student: 'Cause he usually sits in a chair.

Stafford: He's different because he usually sits in this chair like the teachers do?

Student: Not on the floor.

Stafford: Not on the floor like you guys do?

Girl: He always comes in here to us.

Stafford: To help you?

Girl: And to read books.

Stafford: You love that book-reading from Seth, don't you? So when Seth is sitting here reading the book, what are you thinking about? Seth and how he might be different, or are you thinking about the book?

Girl: About the book.

For the most part, the kids look at Seth as a friend like any other kid-- but they have all learned what progeria is and what affect it has on Seth.

Teacher: Is Seth the same size as we are?

All: No.

Teacher: Will Seth ever be the same size as we are?

All: No.

Stafford: What do you think about that, that Seth looks different from you guys?

Girl: Seth is really special to us.

Teacher: Seth, thank you.

Class chorus: Byeeee. Thank you. Bye Seth. That was a good book.

Baseball's John Marzano Gone At 45

Former Major League catcher John Marzano, 45, a first-round draft pick in 1984, died this weekend at his home in Philadelphia, where he suffered a fall down a flight of stairs reportedly after a possible heart attack.

Marzano, who played for the Red Sox, Rangers and Mariners, was in his second season as an on-air personality at MLB.com.

"John was a beloved member of our team, a personable, terrific friend to all with whom he worked," said Bob Bowman, CEO of MLB Advanced Media. "He was an engaging, informed interviewer. His energy, knowledge of the game and comedic touch produced admirable results. We miss him dearly already."

MLB.com will immediately establish an internship program in memory of Marzano, who in addition to being drafted 14th overall in 1984 earned a spot on Team USA for the Olympics.
"Words cannot describe how sorry we are to have lost John's inspiring presence, but rest assured, his spirit and legacy will always influence us," said Dinn Mann, MLB.com's EVP of Content. "Our prayers go out to his family, his friends and his fans. John simply gave his all every time he went about doing his job and living his life, always grateful, always striving."
A native of South Philadelphia and born on Valentine's Day in 1963, Marzano, a member of the Temple University Hall of Fame, showed tremendous work ethic and determination as a ballplayer and broadcaster.

Marzano played 10 seasons as a catcher in the Majors. The Red Sox weren't the first team to draft him. The Twins picked him in the third round in 1981 out of high school, but Marzano elected to go to college. Marzano reached the big leagues within three years after starring at Temple, playing for Boston from 1987-1992. He was in the Cleveland and Philadelphia farm systems for two years, then, in 1995, appeared in two games for the Texas Rangers. In 1996, he earned a spot on Lou Piniella's Seattle roster and spent three years with the Mariners.

After retiring as a player, Marzano worked for WIP radio in Philadelphia and at Comcast SportsNet as a post-game analyst for Phillies games before catching on full time with MLB.com in 2007.

Marzano was co-host with Vinny Micucci of "Leading Off" on MLB.com"s Baseball Channel every weekday at 9 a.m. Marzano impressed those around him until the day he died, regularly delivering instructive insight and humor in his role.

"(Ken Griffey Jr.) lifts and separates better than any hitter I have ever seen," Marzano said during a recent show, breaking down a highlight. "Having an opportunity to watch this man play for three years, I was so fortunate -- even though I was sitting on the bench watching him. To watch him and the plays he made in center field, crashing into walls, sometimes getting hurt, not worrying about himself but worrying about his team, it was amazing for me to watch that."

Marzano is survived by his wife Terri, daughters Dominique and Danielle, and two grandchildren.

Keith Brumbaugh Entering NBA Draft

Keith Brumbaugh was a top-notch college prospect in 2005, but off-court problems derailed his NBA dream. After a one-year stint as the top scorer on the junior college level, Brumbaugh informed officials Friday that he plans on entering the NBA draft.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, a formal news conference is tentatively scheduled for Monday in which Brumbaugh will announce that he is skipping his remaining years of juco eligibility to turn pro. According to the newspaper, USC, South Florida, Connecticut and Ohio State had shown interest in Brumbaugh.

Brumbaugh, 22, was named Florida's "Mr. Basketball" in 2005 after a standout career at DeLand High and signed with Oklahoma State out of high school. He never played for the Cowboys and left the team after the winter break in 2005 due to eligibility issues surrounding an ACT score.

After leaving Oklahoma State, Brumbaugh was at Chipola Junior College in Pensacola, but never played for them. He finally landed at Tampa's Hillsborough Community College last season and led the juco ranks in scoring while drawing a steady stream of NBA scouts to most of his games. Brumbaugh, 6-foot-9 and 205 pounds, averaged 36.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 4.8 steals at HCC and will likely be a second-round pick.

"They all say he can play," HCC Coach Derrick Worrels told the newspaper of the pro scouts evaluating Brumbaugh. "The questions they have are mainly, 'What do we have to concern ourselves with outside the court?' "

Brumbaugh was arrested six times over a 26-month span and also served two jail sentences, but he says he's learned from his mistakes.

"I've made some stupid decisions in my life -- and with decisions come consequences," Brumbaugh told the newspaper. "But I've paid my debt to society, I'm back on track and looking to the future, not the past."

Once Brumbaugh officially enters the draft, he will begin working toward the NBA pre-draft camp that starts May 27 at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando.

"It was just a minute ago that nobody ever thought I'd play basketball again," Brumbaugh told the Sentinel. "Now my name is stronger than it was two weeks ago. And two weeks from now it'll be stronger than it is today because I am going to keep doing the right thing."

Richard Quest CNN Reporter Arrested

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York judge ordered CNN reporter Richard Quest to undergo six months of counseling on Friday after Quest was arrested in Central Park for possession of a controlled substance, his lawyer said.

The British reporter is known for his boisterous and quirky style, especially on CNN International.

He was arrested at 3:40 a.m. on Friday in New York's Central Park for being in the park after a 1 a.m. curfew.

Police discovered a plastic bag containing what was believed to be methamphetamine in his pocket, police spokesman John Grimphel said.

Quest, 46, later appeared before State Court Judge Anthony Ferrara, who told him the case would be dismissed if he attends counseling, Quest's lawyer, Alan Abramson said.

"Mr. Quest did not realize that the park had a curfew and was returning to his hotel with friends. The matter is scheduled to be dismissed," Abramson said.

Quest is a well-known business news reporter on CNN International and hosts "CNN Business Traveler," as well as his own feature program, "Quest."

Bobby Petrino Former Atlanta Falcons Coach Takes Job In Arkansas

Bobby Petrino resigned as Atlanta Falcons coach on Tuesday, having lasted only 13 games with the NFL team. A person within the league told The Associated Press that Petrino quit to return to the college ranks at Arkansas.

He had only left Louisville in January, agreeing to become Falcons coach for a US$24-million, five-year contract handed out by a team that felt he could help star quarterback Michael Vick reach his full potential.

A few months later, Vick came under investigation for a grisly dogfighting operation that eventually led him to plead guilty to federal charges. He was sentenced Monday to 23 months in prison without ever taking a snap for Petrino.

A source familiar with Patrino's decision, speaking on condition of anonymity because the school had not made an official announcement, said he was going to Arkansas. The Razorbacks have been looking for a coach for two weeks to replace Houston Nutt, who resigned after a tumultuous season and took the Mississippi job.

The school had no immediate comment on its coaching search, but called a 11:30 ET news conference for a "major announcement."

The Falcons declined further comment beyond a terse, two-paragraph statement released Tuesday night. Owner Arthur Blank and general manager Rich McKay were scheduled to hold a news conference Wednesday.

There was no immediate word who would take over as head coach for the final three games, though defensive co-ordinator Mike Zimmer and offensive co-ordinator Hue Jackson would be the most logical candidates.

Petrino did not answer his cell phone or a call placed to his Atlanta-area home. His brother, Falcons receivers coach Paul Petrino, declined comment when reached on his cell phone.
"I don't think I can say anything about it right now," he said. "I'm sorry."

After losing Vick, Bobby Petrino tried three starting quarterbacks without success. The Falcons are 3-10 and assured of the 32nd season of .500 or worse in their 42-year history.

"Anytime you're without of the best athletes in the National Football League, it's going to be tough," Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall said earlier in the season. "Take Peyton Manning from the Colts, and they'll go through a little slump."

The resignation of Petrino was another jarring blow in a surreal year for the Falcons, who had dealt with Vick's legal troubles since the first day of training camp. A plane flew over the team's practice facility pulling a sign that said: "New team name? Dog Killers?"

That was a far cry from Petrino's introductory news conference, when he talked of his reasons for leaving Louisville.

"I was able to see the commitment that has been made here," he said. "I believe this is truly the best football job in the NFL. It was an easy decision for me."

Of course, he had no idea what Vick was doing in his spare time.

Petrino's stint was one of the shortest for a non-interim coach since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. Pete McCulley was fired after starting out 1-8 with San Francisco in 1978, and Sid Gillman lasted only 10 games in his second stint as San Diego coach, going 4-6 in 1971 before quitting.
In an interesting twist, Lou Holtz coached the New York Jets for 13 games in 1976. He went 3-10, then left the team with one game remaining to become Arkansas' coach.

Petrino leaves with the third-worst winning percentage among Atlanta coaches. Only Norb Hecker, who was 4-26-1, and Marion Campbell, who went 17-51 in two stints as head coach, rank below Petrino's .231 mark.

In four years as Louisville's coach, Petrino produced a 41-9 record and some of the highest-scoring teams in the country. But the Falcons were anemic without Vick, ranking 24th in total yards and 30th in scoring.

Atlanta also was plagued by injuries on the offensive line, which forced Petrino to start two players who weren't even drafted out of college.

Just hours after Vick's sentencing in Richmond, Va., Atlanta took its fourth straight double-digit loss, 34-14 to the New Orleans Saints.

"Not a good day," Petrino said afterward.

The resignation had to be a major surprise to Blank, who fired Jim Mora just two seasons after he led the Falcons to the NFC championship game, and lured Petrino with a lucrative contract.
Before Monday's game, Blank said he felt better than ever about his decision to hire Petrino given all the adversity the team faced this season.

"I feel real fortunate we have a terrific guy leading our team, our CEO, in Bobby Petrino," Blank said. "I think he's proven to me he's a better head coach than we thought he was going to be, dealing with a set of cards we didn't see unfold this year, which probably never in the history of the NFL has anything like this happened. Bobby has done a wonderful job dealing with all of these issues. He's kept the players focused."

But there were signs of dissension, especially in the way Petrino dealt with his players.
He ran the team with an aloof style, feeling no reason to share his decisions on personnel with the affected players. He could walk through the locker room without speaking to anyone and was openly criticized by two of the team's stars, Pro Bowlers Hall and Alge Crumpler.
Petrino drew the ire of the veterans with his decision to cut nose tackle Grady Jackson, one of the team's most productive defensive linemen, during the bye week. Quarterback Joey Harrington was noticeably perturbed a few weeks ago when, after leading the Falcons to two straight wins, he heard from the media that Petrino still considered injury prone Byron Leftwich the starter.

Against the Saints, the Falcons made another change at the most crucial offensive position, giving Chris Redman his first start since 2002. While Redman threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns, the Falcons lost again.

They have been outscored by an average of 18.5 points in their last four defeats.
After the latest loss, Petrino sounded as though he was still committed to getting the Falcons turned around.

"We'll come back on Wednesday to take a look at it, and then we'll get back to work," he said. "We have to find something to rally around."

But clearly, Petrino already had decided to abandon the sinking ship.

Tim Tebow Heisman Trophy Winner

Tim Tebow needed only two years of college to graduate to Heisman Trophy winner, putting the sophomore in a class by himself.

Florida’s folk-hero quarterback with the rugged running style and magnetic personality won the Heisman on Saturday night to become the first sophomore or freshman to take college football’s most prestigious award.

Since 1935, when Jay Berwanger of Chicago won the first Heisman, every winner had been a junior or senior — until Tebow.

He beat out Arkansas running back Darren Mcfadden, the first player since 1949 to finish second in consecutive seasons. Tebow received 1,957 points and 462 first-place votes to McFadden’s 1,703 points and 291 first-place votes.

Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan was third, and Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel fourth.
A year after Tebow helped Florida win a national title, and in his first season as the Gators’ starter, the chiseled 235-pound quarterback in a fullback’s body put together a historic campaign. He’s the first major college player to run for 20 touchdowns and throw 20 TD passes in the same season.

In an unpredictable college football season, the Heisman race was as unsettled as the national title chase. Tebow emerged as the front-runner even though Florida (9-3) stumbled early.
Six of the last seven Heisman winners picked up their bronze statues on the way to playing in the national championship game. Tebow won’t get that chance this season, but Heisman voters didn’t hold Florida’s failure to defend its national title against him.

McFadden slumped in October before finishing with a huge November, capping his season with a spectacular performance — 206 yards rushing, three touchdowns and a TD pass — in the Razorbacks’ 50-48 triple-overtime win over No. 1 LSU. It seems doubtful the junior with sprinter’s speed will return to Arkansas next year to make another run at the Heisman. Not with some NFL team likely to make him a top-10 draft pick.

Brennan and Daniel each passed for over 4,000 yards and led their teams to breakout seasons.

Homeschooled by missionary parents who run an orphanage in the Philippines, Tebow took advantage of a Florida state law to play for Nease, about 90 miles from the University of Florida campus.

Tebow has worked and preached at his parents’ orphanage since he was 15. He regularly speaks at schools and delivered his message of faith at a prison in Florida earlier this year.
He arrived in Gainesville with superstar status, and Gators fans could hardly wait to see their quarterback of the future.

In a part-time role as a complement to Chris Leak, Tebow played with a fiery passion. He bowled over defenders and bounced around the field, fists pumping and arms waving.
He ran for 469 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman, throwing only enough to take advantage of defenses stacked to stop him from running.

This season, the Gators became Tebow’s team and at times he was a one-man offense.

He completed 68 percent of his attempts for 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns and continued to run with reckless abandon, even while playing the second half of the season with a very sore shoulder.

Compensating for the Gators’ lack of a reliable tailback, Tebow led Florida with 838 yards rushing and set a Southeastern Conference record with 22 touchdowns. With speed and a strong arm to go with his power and grit, Tebow is part throwback to the days of single-wing football and part 21st century prototype for the position.

Add winning the Heisman as a sophomore, and Tebow is truly one of a kind.

Wayne Dumond Issue Surrounding Huckabee

We just need to get this out of the way this morning.

The Wayne Dumond case is the big news of the day in the Huckabee camp, followed closely by Huckabee not knowing anything about yesterday's NIE Report. The Dumond thing has the potential to be devastating because it is only a matter of time before Dumond's victim's mother appears in a television commercial attacking Huckabee, using Huckabee's own words against him.

Huckabee wrote a letter to Dumond writing, “My desire is that you be released from prison. I feel that parole is the best way for your reintroduction to society to take place.” That there is more to the story will be inconsequential in the coming 30 second ad (oh, you know one is coming).

So, consider this your homework today. First, Byron York is a must read. He captures, very fairly, the issue.

Second, Governor Huckabee's campaign was kind enough to provide a transcript of Governor Huckabee's own remarks on the matter.