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And we’ll go up, up, up / But I’ll fly a little higher /
We’ll go up in the clouds because the view is a little nicer /
Up here my dear / It won’t be long now, it won’t be long now
With wisdom well beyond his 18 years, musician Zach Sobiech wrote the song “Clouds” before losing his four year battle to osteosarcoma in 2012. A #1 single on iTunes and more than 10 million YouTube views later, “Clouds” has become a viral sensation and a tribute to Zach’s lasting memory.
After being told by his doctors that there was nothing more that could be done to treat his rare form of bone cancer, Zach turned to music to say goodbye. He wanted to leave his family and friends with a song to remember him by. “Clouds” is about his experience with cancer and his thoughts on facing death.
Zach’s touching story has gone viral and greatly helped to increase public awareness of osteosarcoma. Some of Zach’s favorite actors and musicians went on to create a music video of themselves singing the hit song, and a documentary following Zach in the final weeks of his illness has garnered nearly 13 million views on YouTube.
Before his passing, Zach and his family established the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund at Children’s Cancer Research Fund, to raise funds to prevent and cure bone cancer. A portion of the proceeds from his music benefit the fund which has raised nearly $800,000 to support osteosarcoma research. A multi-phase research project is now underway that has brought together expert physicians, scientists and even veterinarians in the field of osteosarcoma.
In the documentary that profiles his final days, Zach reflects, with his signature optimism, on his legacy: “I want to be remembered as a kid who went down fighting, and didn’t really lose.”
FAQs
How much money has the Zach Sobiech Foundation raised? ›
By the end of 2021, Zach's Movement helped the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund (est. 2012) reach an incredible $3 million for osteosarcoma research.
What kind of cancer did Zach Sobiech have? ›In October 2020, Disney+ released the movie “Clouds,” an inspiring film about teenage songwriter Zach Sobiech who rose to fame before passing away from osteosarcoma, a deadly bone cancer, in 2013. The movie, directed by Justin Baldoni, chronicles Zach's senior year of high school and the last year of his life.
Did Zach Sobiech make it to prom? ›His family also threw him a party a few months before his death. Finally, Zach was able to take Amy to prom in May 2013, just weeks before he passed away. The concert we see in the movie is a combination of all three of those events.
What hospital did Zach Sobiech go to? ›The installation covers four floors of windows, displaying the lyrics "We'll go up, up, up." Sobiech was a patient at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital.
Who is Zach Sobiech best friend in Clouds? ›The movie, directed by Justin Baldoni, centers around Zach's musical partnership with childhood friend Sammy Brown (played by Sabrina Carpenter) and then-girlfriend Amy Adamle (played by Madison Iseman), who stand by him as he navigates living while dying.
What is the survival rate for osteosarcoma? ›The 5-year relative survival rate for osteosarcoma is 60%. If the cancer is diagnosed at the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 77%.
Can osteosarcoma metastasis? ›A metastatic osteosarcoma has clearly spread to other parts of the body. Most often it spreads to the lungs, but it can also spread to other bones, the brain, or other organs.
What causes cancer? ›Cancer is caused by changes to DNA. Most cancer-causing DNA changes occur in sections of DNA called genes. These changes are also called genetic changes.
Is there a movie about Zach Sobiech? ›PUBLISHED: May 25, 2023 at 2:14 p.m. | UPDATED: May 25, 2023 at 5:47 p.m. If you've been meaning to watch the Zach Sobiech biopic “Clouds,” now is the time to do so. The streaming service Disney+ will remove the 2020 film as of Friday.
Is cloud based on a true story? ›Yes. Clouds is based on the true story of Zach Sobiech. Sobiech grew up in Lakeland, Minnesota, and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma—an aggressive tumor of the bone—when he was 14. He died of complications with cancer a little over a week after his 18th birthday, in 2013.
Was Zach alive during the filming of Clouds? ›
Baldoni reveals that while Zach was still alive, he promised the teen “that I would do whatever was in my power to keep his story alive. To keep him alive.” The resulting film is “Clouds,” titled after Sobiech's hit song.
How old is Zach from Clouds? › Where is Zach Sobiech from? › Who did Zach Sobiech write Clouds for? ›I had no idea about the significance of the Clouds song. It was written by Zach Sobiech, who had terminal bone cancer. He set up a fund for the proceeds of his song to be donated to the Children's Cancer Research Fund.