The world isn’t always a beautiful place, but the story of Sam Piazza could make a cynic believe in humanity for at least a night.
The Tampa native was born with Down syndrome, but a supportive family, church and inclusive school culture — combined with his own innate positivity — allowed him to overcome occasional bullying and his disability on the way being crowned Gaither High School’s homecoming king and becoming a valued employee at PDQ.
Because Of Sam, a documentary by USF alumna Renee Warmack, is the story of Piazza’s life, and this Monday advance screening is a chance for locals to watch it before a wider release inspires more people to change the way they think about life with Down syndrome.
Mon., July 29. 7:30 p.m. $9.50-$12.50. Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa. 7:30 p.m. tampatheatre.org.
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This article appears in Jul 18-25, 2019.