Plenty of starry wishes granted
Teens with medical conditions meet The Last Jedi cast, watch world première
Tyler Woodward was LOS ANGELES a Star Wars fan long before his cancer diagnosis. His whole life, really. The 17-year-old says he was born “right when all the prequels were coming out” and grew up having lightsaber fights with his two older brothers.
So after chemo took his hair last year, he knew what he wanted from the Make-A-Wish Foundation: A trip to Star Wars: The Last Jedi première.
Recently, he learned his wish had been granted. And on Saturday, after flying out from Ohio, Tyler put on a blazer and his BB -8 tie for the film’s world première in Los Angeles. He was one of seven teens with life-threatening illnesses to attend the star-studded première and elaborate after-party with Make-A-Wish. While the organization couldn’t promise personal interactions with celebrities, the kids and their parents had a special spot on the red carpet where they could see the stars arrive.
“I’ve been telling people that like 50 per cent of the reason I wished for this is just so I could meet Daisy Ridley,” Woodward said before the première from beneath his floppy blond curls. But no matter what happened that night, he said, “I don’t really see myself being disappointed.”
Fourteen-year-old Olivia Sava, who, like Woodward, suffers from a form of leukemia, made a wish about The Last Jedi just after The Force Awakens came out in 2015. She said her dad got her into Star Wars when she was little.
“I’m most excited to see Daisy Ridley,” said Sava of Woodmere, N.Y., who wore a purse to the première that looked like the Death Star. “She’s an amazing actress and I really want to meet her.”
Established in 1980, the nonprofit Make-A-Wish Foundation aims to grant a wish to children diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition. Disney, now the parent company of the Star Wars franchise, granted the very first wish: A trip to Disneyland.
The Make-A-Wish group posed at The Last Jedi première wearing Star Wars-themed Mickey ears. The kids also bonded during their red carpet experience. When one boy sat down during all the excitement, one of the girls checked to see if he was feeling OK. When another boy was trembling too much to take a photograph, the boy next to him helped steady his hands.
Both Woodward and Chris Alegria, a gregarious 18-year-old whose head is scarred from having tumours removed during brain surgery, brought their moms along for the experience, which included a weekend in Hollywood and a trip to Universal Studios.
The red carpet outside the Shrine Auditorium, where a giant Imperial Walker towered over guests, was crowded with stars. One by one — writer-director Rian Johnson, Andy Serkis, Laura Dern, Gwendoline Christie, John Boyega and Adam Driver — came over to meet the Make-A-Wish group. And Ridley, too.
“Hi. You’re Daisy Ridley,” Woodward said when the actress approached. As she posed for a photo with Alegria, Woodward fished a card from his mom’s purse that had Ridley, or Rey’s, face on it.
“Can you sign this?” he asked. “Sure,” Ridley said. “How are you guys doing?”
“Great now,” Woodward said.