Yesterday, September 1, 2025 Al Roker’s heartfelt interview with Clea Newman at Double H Ranch, a SeriousFun camp in NY was re-aired during The Upside portion of TODAY. In case you missed this special feature the first time it aired, Clea reflects on her father Paul Newman’s vision and the lasting impact of SeriousFun Children’s Network. Together with Al and commentary from former Double H camper, Avery Lyons, and her mother Erika as well as Double H camper-turned-counselor Sam Stackpole, she highlights how Double H Ranch and our entire network of camps continue his legacy of providing children living with serious medical conditions the chance to laugh, connect, and experience pure joy—always free of charge.
During the interview, Erika explains to Al the relief she feels when dropping off her daughters at camp. “I don’t have to worry about, ‘did they take their medicine? Are they getting enough rest?’ because the staff [at Double H Ranch] are already trained to do that,” she says. “It is a whole other weight lifted off my shoulders.”
Former camper-turned counselor Sam Stackpole, now 21, shares something Paul Newman once said about the power of camp for kids living with medical challenges, which was “[At camp] there is no such thing as sick kids, there are simply kids who happen to be sick.” What she most values about the camp experience is that campers “are treated like normal here.”
Whether you’re seeing it for the first time or revisiting it, these conversations are a reminder of the generosity and vision that sparked a global movement.
Tune in and join us in celebrating the children, families, and volunteers who bring SeriousFun to life.
