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Ryan Reynolds Takes a Break From Playing Asshole Deadpool to Say Goodbye to a Great Friend

When you’re good looking, people just kind of assume you’re also a good person. But when you’re Ryan Reynolds, for some reason you still have the motivation to do some good in this world and you go the extra mile. Through the Make-A-Wish foundation, which Reynolds has done a lot of work with since becoming Deadpool full-time, Reynolds met 13-year-old Connor McGrath and screened an early release of Deadpool for the boy who had been painstakingly battling cancer since he was 10 years old.

Now, unfortunately because nothing in life is fair, McGrath passed away from the same cancer he had been fighting when he instead should have been sneaking out in the middle of the night, getting in trouble for cyber bullying and learning how to be awkward in confronting his first crush. Reynolds posted a moving message to his Facebook page. Commence survivor’s guilt for this 13-year-old who probably wanted to live more than I ever have. The note reads:

For three straight years, my friend, Connor McGrath drop-kicked cancer… Not sure how… Maybe the cancer cheated… But the fight came to an end two nights ago.

In my wildest dreams, I can’t imagine how hard this is for his parents Kim and Gerald – along with his extended family in Newfoundland.

Connor was 13. But this kid… He was smart. He was funny. And not just funny ‘for a kid’ – or funny ‘for a person battling something awful’. He was unqualified funny. He had that… thing.

That thing you see in great performers or comedy writers. A running commentary/observational skill people are just lucky to be born with.

He went way too early and it’s impossible to reconcile. Connor was a great friend, a great son, and a light to the people lucky enough to know him. While repeatedly punching cancer in the balls, he made everyone laugh. Including the entire staff who cared for him at Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital.

It was the Make-A-Wish Foundation that brought us together. I can’t thank them enough. Seriously. Thank you. Because of his wish, Connor was the first person to see Deadpool. I traveled up to Edmonton, Alberta to surprise him with a rough cut of the film. There were still huge sections with wires we hadn’t yet painted out, jokes which weren’t working (and still aren’t) and green screens. Connor didn’t seem to mind. And I’d never felt luckier to get to be Wade Wilson.

***Before you jump down my throat for showing a 13 year old an R-Rated film, please know this kid knew more swear words than a British chef.

I went back to Edmonton 6 weeks later and I wish I could say things were looking up. After my visit, I didn’t know if I was saying goodbye or see ya later. Sitting here now, I realize it was both.

I’m grateful I got to orbit Connor’s world for a brief time. Grateful for the pages and pages of hilarious texts between us. Grateful to his parents for allowing Connor to spend time with a foul-mouthed child in the body of a 39 year old.

I called Connor, “Bubba”. And he called me “Bubba2”. We met because he loved Deadpool. In a certain sense he WAS Deadpool. Or, at least everything Deadpool aspires to be; balancing pain, fearlessness, love and a filthy (filthy!) sense of humor in one body. I wish he could’ve stuck around a lot longer.

If you’d like to donate to The Make-A-Wish Foundation, I can pretty much guarantee, your money’s going to a damn good place. These people do not suck. They are heroic. Full stop. http://makeawishna.ca/wishes/donate

My deepest condolences and thanks to Kim, Gerald and the entire clan McGrath — who loved this little boy so very well. And thankfully, Connor knew it.

See ya down the road, Bubba.

– r

Ugh! I’m feeling emotions.

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AussieD
AussieD
7 years ago

I couldn’t even finish reading this. *falls apart in front of keyboard* Kids with cancer, just… arg. F*** this planet.