Community rallies around Central Bucks East family after student’s death

An outpouring of support from the Central Bucks community and beyond has pushed a fundraiser for the family of a Central Bucks East student who died from brain cancer well past its original goal.

Samuel Hanson, 16, a sophomore at Central Bucks East and Plumstead Township resident, died earlier this month, according to school officials. A GoFundMe created to support his family has since raised more than $62,000 from over 800 donations — exceeding its $50,000 target — as of recent updates.

Organizers described Sam as “bright, polite, athletic, funny, friendly, and amazing,” adding that he “will be missed dearly by so many.” The fundraiser, organized by family friend Melissa Trouts, of Plumstead, said donations will help cover funeral expenses, household needs, and financial strain as the family grieves. 

An earlier update thanked donors for “an absolutely amazing outpouring of love and support,” as contributions quickly surged past initial benchmarks.

Hanson, a catcher for the CB East Patriots Junior Varsity team, who also attended Tohickon Middle School, is remembered as a well-liked student with deep ties to the school community, according to PhillyBurbs.com. His mother is a teacher within the Central Bucks School District, further amplifying the impact of the loss across multiple schools.

In a message to families, Central Bucks East Principal Lyndell Davis said grief counselors have been made available and encouraged parents to support their children during the difficult time. The district urged families to watch for changes in behavior and reach out for help as needed, emphasizing that support services remain available both in school and at home.

A celebration of Hanson’s life will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Tinicum Park, 963 River Road, Erwinna, PA 18920. All are welcome to attend.

For more details, read the full report here.

According to his obituary:

Born in Sellersville, PA, Sam was the son of Joseph and Megan (Turner) Hanson; brother of Lucia Hanson; grandson of Peter and Susan Turner, Regina and Raymon Evans, and the late Robert Hanson; nephew of Kirsten Havira (Charles), Peter Hanson (Kristin), Bernadette Parry (Brian), Candace Shumacher (Brett), Christopher Hanson (Teresa), Cheryl Hanson, the late Robert Hanson Jr., and the late Keith Hanson. He is also survived by his many loving cousins: Olivia, Turner, Peter, Kaitlyn, Kelly, Nicholas, Ryan, Collan, Matthew, and Gabriel.

Sam was currently a student at Central Bucks East High School. He played baseball and was the catcher for the Patriots Junior Varsity team. He especially loved the thrills of throwing down to second base and winning the fight as an opponent slid into home plate. Sam and his Papa shared a love for the New York Yankees and could be overheard talking about Aaron Judge’s latest record-breaking stats. In middle school, Sam enjoyed competing on both the football team and the wrestling squad.

He was a proud member of Scouting Troop 71 in Forest Grove where he achieved Star rank. Sam was working on his final three merit badges for his Eagle Scout requirements. This winter, he was elected Senior Patriot Leader of his troop and was leading with maturity and attention to detail. Scouting provided Sam with so many adventures and personal accomplishments. He earned his SCUBA certification, 26 merit badges, and completed several challenging bike treks, including a 162-mile trip along the Great Allegheny Passage. He hiked 52 miles while backpacking on the Ten-Mile-River Trail and canoed over 50 miles down the Delaware River. Sam loved camping with his troop and logged 89 nights outdoors experiencing every possible weather condition, including the thrilling experience of sleeping in an igloo during a snowstorm. Always the adventurer, Sam was planning on attending Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for a 10-day backpacking feat this summer.

Sam’s love of the outdoors also included the peaceful and challenging pastime of fishing. He and his dad spent many spring and summer days and evenings fishing together. Whether Sam was finessing trout out of the Tohickon Creek, pulling fluke off the bottom of Barnegat Bay or jigging for crappies and perch through the ice at Promised Land State Park, he was always ready for the next big catch.

Sam’s outdoor interests included winter sports as well, and Sam’s dad shared his love of skiing and taught him to ski at age three. They enjoyed skiing together at Elk Mountain and upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. Sam was fond of mischievously tricking his little sister into skiing down black diamonds after telling her they were just greens or blues. He only did this because he knew she could handle the challenge and would be proud of herself when she reached the base of the mountain. This winter, he had a great time going to Blue Mountain with his friends in the CB East Ski Club.

Some of our fondest memories of Sam are the years he spent in the Plumstead Baseball organization where he formed bonds with the absolute best mix of kids, parents and coaches who are forever in our hearts. The trip to Coopersburg in 2022 was one of the highlights of the life we shared with Sam. We believe Sam’s soul will always live on through these cherished memories.

Sam also loved music and started playing guitar when he was just six years old. He was mentored by Andy Klein: the kindest, most patient, and sweetest teacher who had a profoundly positive influence on his life. A true lover of all music, Sam’s eclectic tastes always kept the playlist interesting. He counted Sublime, Alan Jackson, The Killers, Pink Floyd and John Denver among his favorites. And although he probably wouldn’t admit it recently, he and his mom shared a love for the parodies of Weird Al Yankovic and had lots of laughs singing along together. He also loved the musical Hamilton and belted out words to every song.

Outside of school, sports, scouting and jamming, Sam was an avid weightlifter and spent many evenings with his buddies at the Doylestown YMCA, although we suspect much of that time was spent in the hot tub or the sauna, or flexing in the mirror. Sam also worked at the Devil’s Acre Tavern in Plumsteadville. He loved his job mostly because he ate for free and was doted on by the owners and staff who treated him like family.

Sam was very intelligent and excelled in school. His intellectual curiosity led him to extend his learning beyond the classroom and he was very creative. He was so fortunate to have an amazing group of teachers at Groveland Elementary School, Tohickon Middle School, and CB East High School. He did best when he was challenged and given just the right amount of freedom and choice. We are grateful for the excellent education he received. This year, Sam loved his English class with Mr. Bercik, and he and his mom enjoyed profound discussions about the greater meaning of “The Great Gatsby” and “The Catcher in the Rye.” Sam and his mom also enjoyed working on creative projects for Mrs. Weaver’s European History class and he was delighted to learn she shared his love of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons.

Sam was blessed to have his younger sister, Lucy, and although he did not always show it, he loved and cared for her deeply. The precious family time together included so many fun adventures, including family trips to Colorado, the Bahamas, Disney World, Costa Rica, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Cape May, Long Beach Island, South Carolina, Lake George, and the Outer Banks.

Sam and Lucy especially enjoyed exploring the tidal pools near Acadia National Park. When Sam was little, he carefully selected conical “shells” and left them in the car. When we got in a day or two later, we were dismayed to discover that the shells were actually dead snails. Our car never smelled the same! During the COVID years, the Hanson clan spent countless weekends hiking the forests and trails of the Delaware Water Gap and the Appalachian Trail, always with Sam scrambling ahead, running and climbing like an indefatigable billy goat.

Sam was a fiercely loyal friend. He met his oldest friends in preschool and he had countless local outings, pool parties, birthday celebrations, and scouting adventures with them. He was also blessed to grow up with a great group of neighborhood pals. They spent many hours biking the trails that connect our neighborhoods, building forts in the woods, playing ball in the park, and having countless sleepovers. This year, Sam was more social than ever. He branched out and felt proud to have a large group of good friends at both CB East and CB West.

Since his passing, we have heard so many stories of Sam’s kindness and gentle disposition towards others. He was willing to help others in areas where they needed assistance. Sam had a deep passion for fairness and justice that was blended with old-school manners and politeness. It brings so much joy to our hearts to hear such wonderful stories about him. Sam’s tender and loving nature was always on display when we saw how he treated animals, especially our two cats, Munchkin and Baby Cat. He loved and respected nature and believed everything was connected in a beautiful and harmonious balance.

Although Sam’s sixteen years passed us by in the blink of an eye, he leaves an indelible impression on those of us who were blessed to have known him. There is no doubt that Sam’s light was fueled by the scores of amazing influences in his life, the unsung heroes of our community including, but not limited to, his teachers, coaches, scout leaders, volunteer parents, teammates, and loyal friends. The outpouring of support we have received from the Plumstead and Doylestown communities upon Sam’s passing means everything to us. It has illuminated the strength and magnanimity of our community and leaves us with love in our hearts and humble gratitude for everyone on this journey with us.

Sam was a unique and incredible soul and there will never be another like him. He would want everyone to know that you are valued, important, and irreplaceable. Our lives are like a massive quilt, with our fabrics woven together, and the integrity and strength of the whole depends on each individual thread being kept from unraveling through collective love and support. Let our differences take their hats off to one another and recognize the value of kind acts or words of affirmation; let us take the time to reach out and lean on each other. Someone you know may be hurting and being there for them may make all the difference.

Sam, we cannot love you back to life, but we can and will honor your memory and keep your eternal light shining within us. You will live on in our hearts, in our feelings, our words and our actions. We know this end is just the beginning of another journey for you and we will meet again on the other side someday.

We extend our utmost gratitude to the Plumstead Township Police and EMS services for their kindness and consummate professional in our time of need.

Sam’s funeral will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Scout Troop 71 at 1856 Forest Grove Road, Forest Grove, PA 18925.

Tony Di Domizio is the managing editor of CentralBucksNow. Email him at [email protected].