Alec Cabacungan is the smiling young man from the Shriners Children’s TV commercials. Born with brittle bone disease, he has broken more than 60 bones, but he never let that slow him down. Today he is a Northwestern graduate, a disability advocate, and a rising voice in sports media.
Alec Cabacungan Wikipedia
Alec Cabacungan was born on May 8, 2002, in Oak Park, Illinois, a small village just west of Chicago. That makes him 24 years old in 2026. He was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic condition that makes bones very weak.
When he was just two months old, his parents took him to Shriners Hospital in Chicago. He has been a patient there on and off for his whole life.
In 2014, when he was 12, Shriners asked him to star in a fundraising commercial. The ad became a huge hit across America. Donations went up, strangers started to recognize him, and he became the hospital’s national patient spokesperson.
Alec later studied journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School and finished in 2024. Now he is working toward his big dream of becoming a sports broadcaster.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Alec Cabacungan |
| Nickname | Alec, “The Shriners Kid” |
| Profession | Shriners Children’s Spokesperson, Aspiring Sports Broadcaster, Disability Advocate |
| Date of Birth | May 8, 2002 |
| Age | 24 years (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Oak Park, Illinois, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
| Ethnicity | Filipino-American |
| Known For | Shriners Children’s TV commercials |
Alec Cabacungan’s Height, Weight and Physical Appearance?
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Height | Around 3 feet (approx. 91 cm) |
| Weight | Around 30 kg (approx. 66 lbs) |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Body Type | Petite, short stature |
Alec is short in stature because of his bone condition. Osteogenesis imperfecta affects how bones grow, so he has used a wheelchair for most of his life.
He has never shared his exact height or weight. Based on his photos, he looks to be around 3 feet tall with a light frame.
Fans often talk about his big brown eyes and his wide, friendly smile. He has short black hair and likes to dress sharp. You will sometimes see him in a bow tie, just like his TV hero Ernie Johnson.
Alec Cabacungan Career
Alec’s public life started in 2014 with his first Shriners commercial. He later admitted he thought his friends would tease him about it. Instead, the ad made him famous almost overnight.
Soon he became the national face of Shriners Children’s. He appears in their ads, travels to charity events, and talks to the media about the care kids get there. He has been interviewed on Fox News Sunday and CBS.
Sports has always been his first love, though. In 2015, when the NFL Draft came to Chicago, he got to interview players like Melvin Gordon and Trae Waynes. In November 2017, he sat with the famous “Inside the NBA” crew on TNT during a halftime show.
In high school, he covered sports for his school news program. At Northwestern, he studied journalism. In summer 2023, he interned in the Indiana Pacers’ digital team, and in 2024 he interned with the White House broadcast media team.
In 2025, he co-founded a wheelchair basketball program at Northwestern. He is also working on starting his own nonprofit.
Is He Married? Who Is Alec Cabacungan’s Wife?
Alec Cabacungan is not married. As of 2026, he does not have a wife, and he has never introduced a girlfriend to the public.
He keeps his love life away from the spotlight. His posts are mostly about sports, family, Shriners events, and wheelchair basketball.
At 24, Alec seems fully focused on his career and on growing adaptive sports for people with disabilities. If he ever finds a special someone, fans will likely hear the news from him first on social media.
Alec Cabacungan’s Net Worth 2026
| Year | Estimated Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $300,000 |
| 2024 | $400,000 |
| 2025 | $500,000 |
| 2026 (Current) | $600,000 |
Alec’s estimated net worth in 2026 is around $600,000. Online estimates vary a lot, so this is a fair middle figure based on his work so far.
Most of his income comes from his long role as a Shriners spokesperson. This includes TV commercials, public appearances, and speaking at charity events across the country.
He also earns from social media, especially TikTok, where he has a big following. His internships with the Pacers and the White House gave him valuable experience that should help him land paid media jobs. As his broadcasting career grows, his wealth is expected to rise too.
Family Background
Alec comes from a close and loving family in Oak Park, Illinois. His father is Gil Cabacungan and his mother is Alma Cabacungan.
He is the youngest of four children and the only son. His three older sisters are Kirsten, Isabella, and Juliana.
His family has lived in Oak Park for decades. Alec went to Abraham Lincoln Elementary School and then Oak Park and River Forest High School. He says he was never bullied and always felt welcome.
His mom helped him find a wheelchair basketball team through the Chicago Park District. Alec often says the person he became is thanks to his sisters, his friends, and his hometown.
Major Events in Alec Cabacungan’s Life
Alec was born in 2002 and started treatment at Shriners at just two months old. In sixth grade, he found adaptive sports and began playing wheelchair basketball and softball.
In 2014, he filmed his first Shriners commercial. In 2015, he interviewed NFL draft picks, and in 2017 he appeared on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.”
In 2018, at age 16, a part of Shriners Hospital Chicago was named in his honor. That same year, the local Wednesday Journal gave him its “Most Inspirational” award.
He started at Northwestern in 2020. In late 2021, a wheelchair accident on a snowy sidewalk broke several of his bones, and he took time off school. He came back strong and graduated in 2024.
In March 2026, fake posts claimed he had died. The rumor was quickly proven false.
Lesser-Known Facts About Alec Cabacungan
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Broken Bones | More than 60 in his lifetime |
| Surgeries | Around 18 |
| Hospital Honor | Part of Shriners Chicago named after him at age 16 |
| Sports Idol | Ernie Johnson of TNT |
| Fishing Buddy | NFL legend Brett Favre |
| Club Team | Chicago Skyhawks wheelchair basketball |
| Acting Credit | Listed in the film “Christine” (2016) on IMDb |
| Hobbies | Video games, basketball, coaching tee-ball |
Alec has met some of the biggest names in sports. He has hung out with Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Zion Williamson, Anthony Rizzo, and golfer Jordan Spieth. He even became friends with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and watched a Bears playoff game as his guest.
He is also a real athlete. With the Chicago Skyhawks, he played in several national wheelchair basketball tournaments. He once said the tournament is one of the best weeks of his year.
Alec believes laughter is the best medicine. When he sees a sad kid at the hospital or at school, he tries to make them smile.
He has also helped coach tee-ball and loves playing video games in his free time. In 2025, he was spotted at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles.
Alec Cabacungan Social Media
Alec is active on a few social media platforms, and fans love following his journey.
Instagram (@aleccabacungan): He has around 20K followers. He shares moments from events, sports games, and his personal milestones. His bio simply reads “Respect the wheels.”
TikTok (@aleccabacungan): This is his biggest platform, with over 52K followers and more than 576K likes.
X/Twitter (@Aleccabacungan): He joined in 2014 and has around 3.3K followers. He mostly posts about sports and Shriners.
He also has a LinkedIn profile where he shares his wheelchair basketball work at Northwestern.
FAQs
1. How old is Alec Cabacungan?
Alec Cabacungan is 24 years old in 2026. He was born on May 8, 2002.
2. How tall is Alec Cabacungan?
His exact height is private, but he is estimated to be around 3 feet tall due to his bone condition.
3. Is Alec Cabacungan married?
No, Alec is not married. He keeps his personal life private and focuses on his career.
4. Is Alec Cabacungan still alive?
Yes, he is alive. The death rumors that spread online in March 2026 were fake.
5. What does Alec Cabacungan do for a living?
He is the national spokesperson for Shriners Children’s, a journalism graduate, and an aspiring sports broadcaster.