Dying Star Wars Fan Gets Private Force Awakens Screening - Update

StewShearerOld

Geekdad News Writer
Jan 5, 2013
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Dying Star Wars Fan Gets Private Force Awakens Screening - Update


Terminally ill Star Wars fan Daniel Fleetwood was given a private screening of an unedited version of The Force Awakens.

Update: We're sad to report that Daniel Fleetwood has passed away as a result of his illness. His wife, Ashley, posted the following to her <a href=https://www.facebook.com/ashleycohagan?fref=nf>Facebook page yesterday:

"Daniel put up an amazing fight to the very end. 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. Please hug uncle Marc for me and give Lucy lots of kisses. Rest in peace my love."

Daniel's death has already resulted in an outpouring of support and condolences. Many individuals are also contributing to <a href=https://www.gofundme.com/e1tqh4>a GoFundMe campaign set up by Ashley to help cover the costs of his cancer treatment. It's already raised more than half of its 100,000 dollar goal.

Original Story: For many Star Wars fans, the weeks still left between now and the release of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/star%20wars%20the%20force%20awakens?os=star+wars+the+force+awakens>Star Wars: The Force Awakens have become almost unbearable. Even for the most hardcore however, it isn't a matter of life and death. The tragic exception to that rule is Daniel Fleetwood. Diagnosed in July with a rare form of cancer, doctors told him he had a mere two months left to live. While he would go on to defy their initial expectations, recent reports from his family have indicated that the cancer has continued to spread and that his time is running out. A huge Star Wars fan, it looked very much like he wouldn't make it to see the new film.

Hoping to rectify that, Fleetwood's family launched a Twitter campaign (Mark Hamill and John Boyega, both of whom re-Tweeted the hashtag on their personal accounts. Catching wind of the situation Disney acquiesced and, earlier this week, Fleetwood received a phone call from director <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/jj%20abrams?os=jj+abrams>J.J. Abrams followed by a private screening of an unedited version of the film in his home. Fleetwood's wife Ashley shared the good news in a post <a href=https://www.facebook.com/ashleycohagan/posts/10101581742442648?pnref=story>on her Facebook page. "Today the wonderful Disney and Lucasfilms made [Daniel's] final dream come true," she said. "I want to thank ALL the amazing people who helped make this happen, thank you beyond words. May the Force be with you all."

Just speaking personally, this is one of those things those things that restores my faith in humanity a little bit. Granted, I'm a huge sap for this sort of thing, but I still think Disney, Lucasfilm and J.J. Abrams have earned some sincere kudos for their response to this. It might only be a small kindness in the grand scheme of things, but I'd be willing to bet that for Daniel Fleetwood it made a world of difference.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will hit theaters next month on December 18th.

Source: <a href=https://www.facebook.com/ashleycohagan/posts/10101581742442648?pnref=story>Facebook


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Something Amyss

Aswyng and Amyss
Dec 3, 2008
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I'm just glad it wasn't the Phantom Menace. That would be a horrible way to go.

But seriously, this is a sweet story.
 

RicoADF

Welcome back Commander
Jun 2, 2009
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Good on them all, I tip my hat to Disney, Abrams, Hamill and everyone that helped make this happen.
And I hope this helps make Daniels final days a bit easier.
 

Sniper Team 4

New member
Apr 28, 2010
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I just heard about this the other day. I'm glad Disney came through on this. The company can be pretty mean sometimes, but other times they go above and beyond. This is one of those times. Glad Daniel's dream came true.
 

Buckets

New member
May 1, 2014
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That is a really nice gesture. Glad that big corporations can have a soft side too.
 

Elementary - Dear Watson

RIP Eleuthera, I will miss you
Nov 9, 2010
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When they make this into a movie I hope it is required to say: 'Based on a true story that was based on a movie' at the start...
 

Recoveryanonymous

Dunedain of the faith
Feb 22, 2015
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Good for him. This story does sound very similar to the plot of that movie "Fanboys". I think that was its name. A dying fan and his friends travel to Lucas' ranch to try to convince him to let their friend see the Phantom Menace early.
 

babinro

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Sep 24, 2010
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Something Amyss said:
I'm just glad it wasn't the Phantom Menace. That would be a horrible way to go.

But seriously, this is a sweet story.
Who says it wasn't?

People went into that movie with very positive expectations as well. We won't truly know how Force Awakens holds up until we see it and let it sink in for awhile after the hype dies down.

To this day I still look at episode one fondly because of that initial theater experience. I recognize it's a terrible movie now but after walking out of the that first showing my friends and I were pumped. We clung on to the positive aspects of that film and what made it feel like a Star Wars movie which elevated the experience to something that felt GOOD at the time.
 

Kreett

Constant Contrarian
Nov 20, 2009
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piscian said:
Am I the only one who, in Daniels position, would then immediately go online and ruin it for as many people as possible. Then hire a blimp or sky writer so I could fly around cities yelling spoilers over a megaphone?

Just have "Chewie Dies at the end" written across the skies of chicago.
Yes because you're a horrible person and this is why we can't have nice things! Literal devil piscian
 

kajinking

New member
Aug 12, 2009
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This reminds me of one of my aunts recently came down with cancer (We think they maybe caught it in time) that we visited. She's bit of an artist who enjoys making pieces of dogs and cats to sell at art auctions to help animal shelters. All while we were visiting she was pointing out her pieces and told us she planning to keep doing what she liked even as she was going through chemo.

It's amazing how what we love, from art to movies, can keep us going even in the face of possible death. I can only pray for this person and congratulate Disney on such an awesome move.
 

Neurotic Void Melody

Bound to escape
Legacy
Jul 15, 2013
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Aw warm tingles. He has the power to spoil, he must use it responsibly and only for the most deserving of people. Be wise, Samwise the brave....wait, no, wrong movie! Be forceful, young warrior...err...hang on, gimme a sec...
 

Scarim Coral

Jumped the ship
Legacy
Oct 29, 2010
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UK
While I am bum down that he won't lived to see the rest of the new triliogy but I'm glad they requested his wish. I can assume the film is good enough for him to enjoyed it.
 

Zacharious-khan

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Mar 29, 2011
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Something Amyss said:
I'm just glad it wasn't the Phantom Menace. That would be a horrible way to go.

But seriously, this is a sweet story.
Phantom Menace probably gave him the cancer he's dying from now. Sweet story, but as best he's broken even.
 

Something Amyss

Aswyng and Amyss
Dec 3, 2008
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babinro said:
Who says it wasn't?

People went into that movie with very positive expectations as well. We won't truly know how Force Awakens holds up until we see it and let it sink in for awhile after the hype dies down.

To this day I still look at episode one fondly because of that initial theater experience. I recognize it's a terrible movie now but after walking out of the that first showing my friends and I were pumped. We clung on to the positive aspects of that film and what made it feel like a Star Wars movie which elevated the experience to something that felt GOOD at the time.
I have trouble believing this could be worse than TPM.
 

martyrdrebel27

New member
Feb 16, 2009
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Elementary - Dear Watson said:
When they make this into a movie I hope it is required to say: 'Based on a true story that was based on a movie' at the start...
haha, I was thinking the same thing. I was like "wait, I've seen this movie before... this is Fanboys!"

and i'm suddenly remembering that there was controversy surrounding that movie, that investors heavily changed the plot and things like that... I don't remember, this is back in the G4 days.