Daniel Fleetwood, 'Star Wars' Fan Granted Early 'Force Awakens' Screening, Dies at 32

Jordan Zakarin
·Writer
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The 501st Stormtrooper Legion visiting Fleetwood on Nov. 7th (Ashley Fleetwood/Facebook)

Daniel Fleetwood, the lifelong Star Wars fan and cancer patient who was given an early personal screening of the upcoming sequel The Force Awakens, died early Tuesday morning at the age of 32. His wife, Ashley Fleetwood, broke the news on her Facebook page, which had become the hub of activism and encouraging messages over the last few weeks.

“Daniel put up an amazing fight to the very end,” Fleetwood wrote on her page. “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.”

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Ashley and Daniel Fleetwood’s last selfie together (Ashley Fleetwood/Facebook)

Diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma, a rare cancer of the connective tissue, and given just two months to live in July, Fleetwood’s final wish — to see The Force Awakens — began to make headlines in mid-October. It quickly went viral, using the hashtag #ForceForDaniel, and received major boosts when original franchise stars Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, as well as newcomers John Boyega and Daisy Ridley, voiced their support on Twitter and Instagram.

The activism paid off, as last week, director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm allowed the top-secret film to be screened at Fleetwood’s Houston home. Abrams called Fleetwood to deliver the good news, and on November 5th, Fleetwood saw an unfinished cut of the film.

“It was like bringing a kid to see his favorite movie at the movie theaters. It was beautiful, and it made me cry to see his reaction,” Ashley Fleetwood told a local news station. “I don’t think I could ever express into words how grateful we are, and we just want everyone to know that we will never forget that.”

Fleetwood was also later visited by members of the 501st Stormtrooper Legion, a group of fans dedicated to re-creating authentic Star Wars costumes and doing good around their communities.