By Jim Toes, President and CEO, STA
Hosting conferences that include congressional speakers has its challenges, especially when the audience consists of professionals from the financial services industry—people with little patience, quick to judge, and unafraid to heckle. Over the years, I’ve learned the best way to prevent a “Jerry Springer” moment at STA’s annual conference in Washington, DC, is aggressive clock management. That’s the clock facing the speaker, showing how much time remains.
In the conference program, congressional speakers are allotted 25 minutes for their remarks, but when they take the stage, I set the clock to 20 minutes – quietly subtracting a few if the presentation goes dry, and adding time if they connect strongly with the audience. This system has worked flawlessly with dozens of gracious congressmen, congresswomen, and senators who’ve spoken to our members – none the wiser – except for one: Senator Ben Sasse. In 2019, he approached the podium with 20 minutes on the clock; his remarks were so engaging and the connection with the audience so palpable that I added 7 minutes, only for the astute senator from Nebraska to pause mid-sentence and say, “Who’s controlling the clock? It says I have 14 minutes when a second ago it said 7.” Our eyes met, he saw my guilty look, and chuckled, “okay, where was I?”
This past December 2025, former Senator Ben Sasse, at age 53, was diagnosed with metastatic stage-four pancreatic cancer. He announced it candidly on X calling it a “death sentence” while blending stark realism with deep faith: “We all do [have a death sentence]. I’m blessed with confidence in where I’m headed.”
Benjamin Eric Sasse was born on February 22, 1972, in Plainview, Nebraska. From humble Midwestern roots, he developed a strong sense of community and intellectual curiosity. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, studied at Oxford as a Marshall Scholar, and completed a Ph.D. in history from Yale University. He later authored books such as The Vanishing American Adult (2017), which calls for building resilience and civic education in a culture prone to entitlement.
In 2014, he won a U.S. Senate seat from Nebraska, serving from 2015 to 2023. As a Republican, he was known for his independence, often prioritizing constitutional principles over strict party loyalty. In 2023, Sasse left the Senate to become president of the University of Florida, a role he embraced with great passion and skill. He resigned in July 2024 to care for his wife, Melissa, who has been dealing with epilepsy and related memory issues. The couple, married since 1996, has three adult children, Elizabeth, Alexandra, and Breck.
Amid his family trials and diagnosis, Sasse has embraced his challenges with peace, pivoting to gratitude for his life and loved ones. He is undergoing aggressive experimental chemotherapy confronting mortality with unflinching honesty. In recent podcast appearances and interviews, he has handled himself with profound grace, turning personal suffering into lessons for others.
On the Hoover Institution’s “Uncommon Knowledge” in February 2026, he reflected on regrets, forgiveness, and the illusion of control, urging listeners to “redeem the time.” He described how cancer has “shattered idols” like workaholism, refocusing his priorities on faith and family. In an emotional Fox News interview, he spoke of how the diagnosis has deepened his Christian hope, affirming that death “does not get the final word.” On Sola Media’s podcast, he shared Gospel truths alongside treatment updates, inspiring listeners with his candidness about pain and purpose.
Despite sleeping 14–18 hours a day and battling side effects like nausea, Sasse has channeled his remaining energy into meaningful work. He launched his own podcast, “Not Dead Yet,” a title reflecting his characteristic gallows humor and determination.
Sasse’s refusal to despair stands out most powerfully. He fights for more time with his family while accepting God’s sovereignty. In a fragmented world, his story reminds us that true strength lies not in invincibility, but in faithful endurance. Marching to a “faster drummer,” Ben Sasse will undoubtedly leave a legacy of grace under the most trying fire.
