A terminally ill Star Wars fan received his dying wish when Disney and Lucasfilm gave him a special viewing of the not yet released film, The Force Awakens.
Daniel Fleetwood, 32, has been a Star Wars fans for most of his life and after being diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma, a rare connective tissue cancer, feared he would not live to see the movie before it comes out in theaters Dec. 18.
Daniel’s wife, Ashley, wanted to bring some joy to his final days and launched a campaign on social media #ForceForDaniel in the hopes of persuading the filmmakers to show him the movie early. The campaign went viral, attracting support from Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew and John Boyega, among others.
Disney was happy to comply and granted Daniel a screening of an unedited cut of the film at his home in Spring, Texas, on Nov. 5. Director J.J. Abrams chatted with him on the phone.
“To all our wonderful supporters, friends, family and awesome strangers: Daniels final dream was just granted!!!” Ashley Fleetwood said in a Facebook message.
The Force Awakens is the seventh installment in the Star Wars series and is set about 30 years after the events of The Return of the Jedi, which came out in 1983. It’s the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy announced after Disney acquired Lucasfilm in fall 2012. Abrams co-wrote the movie with Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote the original trilogy films.
Daniel was thrilled by the chance to be one of the first Star Wars fans to watch the film. Unfortunately, his wife reported that he passed away just a few days after his special experience.
“Daniel put up an amazing fight to the very end,” Ashley wrote on Facebook. “He is now one with God and with the force. He passed in his sleep and in peace. He will always be my idol and my hero.”
