Kris and his wife, Kellie, joined “the family nobody chooses” in 2013, when their 10-month-old son, Silas, had his first focal seizures. They learned the seizures were caused by Sturge-Weber Syndrome, a rare condition, and they have been advocating and fundraising ever since.
Today Silas is 14 and in high school in Glenview, IL, where the Sadens family lives with his twin sister, Celia, and older sister, Sydney. Medication has kept Silas’s seizures controlled for most of his life. Knowing how fortunate they have been, Kris and Kellie have made supporting CURE Epilepsy part of their life’s mission, on behalf of families who haven’t been as lucky.
During COVID, Kris and two close friends took up triathlon to stay in shape. In 2022 he began racing the Chicago Triathlon as a CURE fundraiser, and he has since recruited dozens of community members and fellow epilepsy families to join him.
Kris has spent 25 years in national television ad sales at AMC, FX, FOX, Paramount and, most recently, Vizio, the Smart TV company owned by Walmart. He is also a certified professional coach and mindfulness meditation teacher who helps people reach their potential personally and professionally.
Kris counts his journey with Silas and epilepsy as one of the biggest gifts of his life. It taught him that our greatest challenges are also our greatest opportunities for growth.