Robert Downey Jr. Continues To Prove Himself A Hero

Robert Downey Jr. is the sort of hero our world needs. The talented actor might be best known for playing Iron Man on the big screen, but Robert also does his best to be a hero off set. From donating to charities and visiting sick fans, Robert stands as one of Hollywood's biggest heroes for more multiple reasons. And, just recently, the actor quietly reminded everyone of his superhero status when he checked in on a sick fan.

Yesterday, a photo was uploaded to a Facebook page dedicated to Ryan Wilcox, an 18-year-old student who's battled cancer for years now. Robert, along with a few other famous friends, surprised Ryan with a visit earlier this year since the teen is a huge fan of Captain America. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it seems like Robert still keeps in touch with Ryan.

"So this just happened...just in case you all needed a smile," the Facebook post writes. "Ryan and his pal Robert Downey Jr. facetiming. This definitely made us smile BIG. Joy is a very powerful medicine. Thank you RDJ....one of the kindest hearts in Hollywood."

So far, the photo has spread all over the Internet with fans applauding the actor's generosity, and many are impressed with Robert's decision to check-in on Wilcox with no fuss. The two's conversation was a simple affair: no press or publicists covered the event. All Robert wanted to do was see how Ryan was doing, and the chat surely meant a lot to the long-time fan.

If you're not familiar with Ryan's story, feel free to check out his Facebook page. The site describes the teen's battle against cancer and MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome) which he's now fighting for the third time. During his various hospital stays and treatments, Ryan has said Captain America was who pushed him to keep fighting. Fans of Captain America will no doubt understand how empowering the character could be to Ryan as the hero was once a frail, sickly boy before he became a super soldier. For years now, Captain America has been an icon for 'the little guys' who never give up. So, even at his lowest, Ryan endured his treatments like Captain America would, saying "I could do this all day."

Robert and Ryan met earlier this May when the teen's school district pleaded for the cast of Captain America: Civil War to visit him. At first, Chris Evans sent a short video message to Ryan on May 6th. "I heard you are a big Captain America fan. Good taste," the actor said. "Glad to know you are on Team Cap. Just wanted to say stay strong. I know you are fighting the good fight. It's people like you, with strength like yours, that inspire people like me. So thank you, really, from the bottom of my heart."

But, then, Ryan found himself visited by Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Gwyneth Paltrow in person. The trio flew to El Cajon and visited the teen at his home. Photos of the meeting flooded the Internet after Evans tweeted, "Today I got to shake the hand of a true warrior Ryan Wilcox. He's cooler than I could ever hope to be. Thanks for the hospitality Wilc."

Months later, it's nice to see Robert has managed to keep in touch with Ryan as he continues his treatments. If you'd like to donate money to help cover Ryan's medical expenses, you can give money or even choose to support Ryan by using the hashtag #RyanStrong on social media.

Of course, this isn't the first time actors from the MCU have suited up and visited sick fans. Both Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Chris Evans checked up on patients at Seattle Children's Hospital following last year's Super Bowl while Evans sported his star-spangled suit. And, most recently, Tom Holland visited several hospitalized fans while he donned Spider-Man's iconic suit.