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J.J. Abrams screens 'Star Trek Into Darkness' for terminally ill fan

By KATE STANTON, UPI.com
(L-R) Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, Director J. J. Abrams, actor Chris Pine and Producer Bryan Burk attend a press conference for the film "Star Trek Into Darkness" in Tokyo, Japan on December 4, 2012. UPI/Keizo Mori
(L-R) Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, Director J. J. Abrams, actor Chris Pine and Producer Bryan Burk attend a press conference for the film "Star Trek Into Darkness" in Tokyo, Japan on December 4, 2012. UPI/Keizo Mori | License Photo

Director J.J. Abrams invited a terminally ill "Star Trek" fan and his wife to a special screening for the franchise's upcoming sequel after the man's friends and family lobbied for help from Reddit's Trekkie community.

On Christmas Day, Redditor ideeeyut asked for help for a 41-year-old "film buff," identified only as "Dan," who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 38.

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"There is nothing left to do but make him comfortable, at 41, he is jaundice & his liver is enlarged, his body has had enough, he has weeks to live," the post quoted Dan's wife as saying. After his illness prevented him from seeing the 10-minute preview that aired before "The Hobbit," she asked if there was any way for Dan to see the new "Star Trek," or at least the extended trailer.

"If there is anything any one of you or anyone you know could do to make this happen that would be an amazing, kind and generous thing," she said.

Readers responded by posting the request to Twitter and Facebook, and making calls and inquiries to Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot, Abrams' production company.

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Just days later, Abrams called Dan's wife to invite him to a private screening of the film -- a surprising move for a filmmaker who's notoriously secretive about his work.

She updated Reddit with the good news.

Hi everyone, it's Daniel's wife, we are of course sworn to secrecy, BUT we are officially allowed to say we saw it and we enjoyed it IMMENSELY as a film and as a gesture....

However; Daniel 'hates' being an 'inspiring cancer story' we his friends and loved ones would prefer for the update to have more of a heartfelt message of giving, especially during this season: This is a story of us giving something to him, the 'internet' community giving something to him and ultimately being a heartwarming gift to our friends, family and so many others.

This isn't the first time Abrams has reached out to a terminally ill fan. According to Zap2it, Abrams offered "Last Lecture" college professor Randy Pausch a cameo in the first "Star Trek."

"Star Trek" hits theaters in May.

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