The Avengers heed call to visit teen battling cancer
EL CAJON (AP) — Each night, 18-year-old Ryan Wilcox sleeps under a portrait of himself dressed as Captain America — the pinnacle of human strength and endurance. The Marvel Comics fan knows a thing or two about those heroic attributes. He is battling cancer for a second time in his life, and so when he recently received some disappointing news about his prognosis, his schoolmates rallied and called in the Avengers.
On Monday, the 70-pound teen answered his front door and was shocked at what he saw: Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. and Captain America Chris Evans had not only put aside their differences on how to save the world, they had teamed up with “Iron Man” star Gwyneth Paltrow to carry out a mission to lift Wilcox’s spirits.
“Hey what’s up buddy?” Evans is heard as Wilcox shakes his head, doing a double take in a video taken by Paltrow outside his home in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon. “We were in the neighborhood and thought we’d cruise by.” “Hey guys,” says Wilcox, wearing a T-shirt featuring Captain America’s shield.
Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts in the “Iron Man” films, hugged Wilcox’s mom, as the other two stars plopped down on the carpeted living room floor. The celebrities spent an hour at the home, conversing with the teenager, like they were old friends, his mom, Amy Wilcox, said.
“She told me this is a gift from one mom to another mom,” Amy Wilcox said. “She knew how happy it would be for me to see Ryan so happy.”
Wearing a blue “Stark” hat with Downey’s autograph on the bill, Wilcox was still reveling Tuesday in what he described as the best day of his life.