Ryan Reynolds Mourns 13-Year-Old 'Deadpool' Fan Who Died of Cancer

Will always be his buddy. Ryan Reynolds is mourning the loss of a good friend and Deadpool fan. The actor paid tribute to Connor McGrath, a 13-year-old who died of cancer earlier this week, in a moving Facebook post on Thursday, April 28.

“In my wildest dreams, I can’t imagine how hard this is for his parents Kim and Gerald — along with his extended family in Newfoundland. Connor was 13. But this kid … He was smart. He was funny. And not just funny ‘for a kid’ — or funny ‘for a person battling something awful.’ He was unqualified funny. He had that … thing. That thing you see in great performers or comedy writers. A running commentary/observational skill people are just lucky to be born with,” Reynolds, 39, wrote on his personal account.

“He went way too early and it’s impossible to reconcile. Connor was a great friend, a great son, and a light to the people lucky enough to know him,” he continued. “While repeatedly punching cancer in the balls, he made everyone laugh. Including the entire staff who cared for him at Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital.”

Ryan Reynolds in 'Deadpool.' — Ryan Reynolds in ‘Deadpool.’

The Proposal star and McGrath met through the Make-A-Wish Foundation — and they hit it off right away. Reynolds traveled to Edmonton, Alberta, to meet McGrath, and the teen was the very first person to watch Deadpool, even before it was finished.

“There were still huge sections with wires we hadn’t yet painted out, jokes which weren’t working (and still aren’t) and green screens,” Reynolds explained of the movie’s rough cut. “Connor didn’t seem to mind. And I’d never felt luckier to get to be Wade Wilson … I went back to Edmonton 6 weeks later and I wish I could say things were looking up. After my visit, I didn’t know if I was saying goodbye or see ya later. Sitting here now, I realize it was both.”

Heading off criticism, he joked: “Before you jump down my throat for showing a 13 year old an R-Rated film, please know this kid knew more swear words than a British chef.”

Reynolds and McGrath may have met in person only twice, but they stayed in contact in other ways. The two had “pages and pages” of humorous text conversations, and nicknamed each other Bubba and Bubba2.

“We met because he loved Deadpool. In a certain sense he was Deadpool. Or, at least everything Deadpool aspires to be; balancing pain, fearlessness, love and a filthy (filthy!) sense of humor in one body,” Reynolds wrote. “I wish he could’ve stuck around a lot longer.”

Read more of Reynolds’ sweet story here.