Dying Star Wars fan seeks early screening

Terminally ill Star Wars fan hopes producers will grant his dying wish of an early screening of the sci-fi blockbuster

CHICAGO: A terminally ill Star Wars fan is hoping producers will grant his dying wish of an early screening of the latest installment of the sci-fi blockbuster.

An online campaign to support his quest drew the attention of Mark Hamill -- the actor who plays the legendary Luke Skywalker -- who retweeted two Twitter posts hoping to bring the "Force for Daniel."

John Boyega, who plays the lead character Finn in the upcoming "The Force Awakens", also retweeted a Tweet about the campaign.

A dying man's wish to see #StarWars The Force Awakens
Help spread the word : #ForceForDanielhttps://t.co/0tA3ET3DdH pic.twitter.com/zbWM7VhvGK

— Nerd Fu (@TheNerdFu) October 30, 2015

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Daniel Fleetwood, 32, has been a fan since he was eight or nine years old. He is dying of a rare form of connective tissue cancer.

His doctors told him in July that he only had a couple of months left to live, but he says his desire to see "The Force Awakens" -- set for wide release on December 18 -- is helping him to hold on.

"I just love Star Wars," he told KPRC-TV in Houston, Texas.  "With everything I got, I love Star Wars."

Fleetwood is spending his last days at his Texas home in hospice care with his wife, Ashley, who is grateful for his love of the movie.

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"It's a commitment and he still has that commitment, that drive, and that love and I think that it's a beautiful thing," she said. "Even if it's just a movie. That's magic for a lot of people."

Unfortunately, they don't think he will be able to last another six weeks.

"Judging by how progressive the disease has gotten in the past two months, I really don't think that I'll be able to make it," he said as he rocked back and forth, wearing a shirt declaring "Vader Don't Care."

"Please do what you can. Help me."

There is a precedent for his request: "The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams granted a similar wish to a Star Trek fan, Daniel Craft, who died shortly after watching a rough cut of "Star Trek Into Darkness" in 2013.