Ryan Reynolds Posts a Tear-Jerking Tribute to Young Fan Who Passed Away from Cancer

Ryan Reynolds took a break from his new dad duties to make our hearts melt. The 39-year-old actor, who welcomed his second child with wife Blake Lively last month, took to Instagram on Saturday to pen a tear-jerking tribute to a young fan who passed away from cancer.

“My friend Connor McGrath would have been 14 years old tomorrow. He isn’t here now, but he stuck around long enough to make everyone he knew fall over laughing. Right up to the very end he was as quick with a joke as he was with a hug,” Reynolds wrote.

“@makeawishamerica brought us together and nothing—not even a cowardly, [f—faced] thing called cancer can take that away. Sending his amazing parents, Kim and Gerald McGrath crisp high fives and bear-hugs of love. Anything you do to support your local Make a Wish Foundation is alright with me,” he concluded.

The heart-wrenching note was posted alongside two images of Reynolds posing with the Deadpool fan, who couldn’t look happier to be next to his idol.

Earlier this year in February, Reynolds shared his experience of meeting Connor, who was suffering from a form of leukemia, in Canada.

"This is my friend, Connor McGrath. He's quite possibly the biggest #Deadpool fan on earth. He was also the first person ever to see the Deadpool film. Like Wade Wilson, Connor's trying to put cancer in his rearview mirror," Reynolds wrote in his Facebook post at the time. "Of course, [Deadpool] was right up his alley because Connor's the funniest, potty-mouthed Canadian mercenary I've ever met."

Our thoughts go out to Connor's friends and family. Visit wish.org to get details about your local Make-a-Wish chapter.