Marvel Fan Battling Cancer Hears From Disney About Early ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Screening

A terminally ill Marvel fan who reached out to Reddit in the hopes of securing an early screening of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame has been contacted by Disney.

“We’re discussing options,” Alexander tweeted Thursday of Marvel owner Disney, thanking the Internet Avengers who rallied behind him before encouraging donations towards Fanconi anemia research.

In a Jan. 5 post to the Marvel Studios subreddit that has since gone viral titled “Dying Before April: My Endgame,” Alexander, under the username /u/alexander_q, shared bone marrow failure and a battle against liver and mouth cancer is likely to prove fatal before the Avengers: Infinity War sequel premieres April 26.

“I’m not a child or anyone with a particularly tragic story. Just a normal guy,” Alexander wrote. “I’m 33, lost my sister three years ago to the same rare genetic disease it turns out I have too. I’ll leave behind a devoted girlfriend and an adopted greyhound.”

“I thought I’d make it to April at least,” Alexander added, “but my bone marrow is toast.”

Alexander revealed he’s living with Fanconi anemia, which the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund defines as “an inherited DNA-repair disease that may lead to bone marrow failure (aplastic anemia), leukemia, and/or solid tumors.”

Thousands of Reddit users rallied around the South Australian man, paging the Reddit accounts of Avengers directors Anthony and Joe Russo and taking to social media with the hashtag “#Avengers4Alexander.”

In an update to his original Reddit post, Alexander wrote Marvel higher ups were “aware” of the cause, which also drew attention from “a guy who knows a guy who is chums” with Thor star Chris Hemsworth, who may have been contacted about the campaign.

“I cried when I read their email,” Alexander wrote of having his wish granted in a fourth update to his Reddit post that has been upvoted nearly 100,000 times. “It’s everything I hoped for and I owe it to all of you.”

In a separate Reddit comment, the 33-year-old detailed a harrowing list of requirements he’d need to reach his 40s, including anti-angiogenic therapy that “keeps liver cancer at bay,” a stable blood count and an avoidance of infection, a three-year survival to be considered in remission for liver cancer, to not be diagnosed with other cancers in that time, and successful liver and bone marrow transplants.

Alexander tweeted Jan. 6 he hopes to preview the eighth and final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones, also debuting in April, but is wary of appearing “greedy.”

In response to Reddit comments accusing Alexander of deception, he wrote “fake cancer would be nice” before explaining his diagnosis started out as “just ‘lesions’ and I got to pretend I’d be fine.”

“When you have cancer, you often have to shorten your list within the constraints of what you can actually achieve. My skillset includes sitting on the couch and lying in bed. Today I walked around the block with a cane and my greyhound and almost died early,” Alexander wrote in a Jan. 7 Reddit reply.

“Whatever grand things you imagine would be on your bucket list, do them now instead.”

Tax deductible donations can be made to the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund through its official website.

Avengers: Endgame opens April 26.