Iron Man star lays down gauntlet to film co-stars
IRON Man actor Robert Downey Jr challenged his Avengers co-stars to back a young boy battling a rare terminal illness in two heartwarming Instagram videos viewed by millions of people.
The Hollywood star recently met Aaron Hunter, eight, who suffers from a condition called ROHHAD, and has dubbed him a “true hero”.
Downey Jr began his powerhouse support last Thursday as he shared his first video on Instagram to millions of followers where he urged people to take in the “Muddy Puddle” challenge.
In the video, the star is seen grooving away in a muddy puddle, wearing a ‘See You Jimmy’ hat and white tracksuit.
He then lays down the gauntlet to fans to “#GOMADFORROHHAD” and share a video of themselves jumping in a muddy puddle for 33 seconds, before challenging three others to do the same.
And he even calls on his Avengers co-stars Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen, who visited Glasgow last year to film Avengers: Infinity War, to do the same.
The film star then posted a second video at the weekend, which has clocked up over one-and-a-half million views, in which he explains how he came to know Aaron and how much he admires the brave boy.
An adjoining statement read: “Yes, I may play Iron Man, but Aaron is a real life hero.”
ROHHAD is the acronym for a rare, life-threatening syndrome that affects the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary actions like breathing and heartbeat, and the endocrine system.
As the star, along with Aaron’s family, describe the impact of the debilitating illness, he says: “Aaron Hunter is an amazing young Scottish fellow.
“I just got caught up in the spirit and his desire to help others like himself.”
He also encourages people to donate to Random Act Funding, a philanthropic organisation set up by Downey Jr and his wife Susan Downey, which will this year support the ROHHAD Association.
Anyone who donates will also have the chance to win a prize attending the world premiere of Avengers: Infinity War.
Aaron, from Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, appears in both videos as he and his family continue to raise awareness of his condition, which causes rapid weight gain and breathing problems in young children, the Evening Times’ sister title the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter reports.
The duo’s meeting was the realisation of a dream for the young boy, who had caught the actor’s attention after sharing his own video after he lost one of his friends to ROHHAD.
Downey Jr had filmed a response for Aaron, i n character as his Iron Man alter-ego Tony Stark, and the actor talks of how they got to know one another by facetiming.
Aaron’s family shared a post on social media saying: “This memory will never leave us, it has been magical. We have never seen Aaron this happy until now. Special thanks to Robert Downey Jr and Team Downey for their incredible support.”
See more at crowdrise.com/ rdj.