Sentence 1: Mathias had epilepsy ever since he could remember, as a child even. 
 Sentence 3: He loved to dance and would strive to do it despite his predicament 
 Sentence 4:  One night at a local event he had a seizure while trying to perform 
 Sentence 5:  He died and became a local hero, inspiring all those like himself 
 Option 1: He tried living the best life he could, although at times he was sad. 
 Option 2: He tried gave up living his best life.