It was reported earlier today that Daniel Fleetwood, the terminally ill Star Wars fan who wanted to see The Force Awakens before the end, lost his battle against spindle cell sarcoma today, only days after having his final wish granted by Lucasfilm and J.J. Abrams. Daniel passed in his sleep, and his family and friends are grateful for the immense love and support that has been shown for Daniel in his final days.

Only days ago, after having seen the new movie, Daniel was visited by the 501st Legion, the worldwide collection of Stormtrooper cosplayers and community volunteers, and the Rebel Legion, a similar group of enthusiasts for the hero characters of the Star Wars franchise, During the visit, the 501st Legion offered Daniel several bags of goodies, as well as an honorary membership to their Legion, and the Rebel Legion presented Daniel with his very own full-metal version of Han Solo’s DL-44 blaster, crafted by a member of their legion.

Daniel was diagnosed with a rare connective tissue cancer called spindle cell sarcoma, and his dying wish was a chance to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens before he died. Using the hashtag campaign #ForceForDaniel, Fleetwood and his family reached out to see if Disney and Lucasfilm would grant Daniel’s wish. After the story made its way around the internet, and gained the support of Star Wars actors like Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, Daniel’s wish was granted.

We here at Nerdist offer our deepest sympathies to Daniel Fleetwood’s family and friends. May the Force be with you.

Take a look at the gallery below for more pictures from the 501st visit.

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Images – The 501st Legion