14 DAY TRIAL // Eminem doesn’t get out like other celebrities do and he definitely hates media attention, unless he’s promoting a new album; but even then his interviews are scarce, and his TV appearances even more so. When word reached him that a terminally ill fan’s last wish was to meet him, his only condition was that no one talked to the press about it.
The meeting took place at the fan’s Michigan home: 17-year-old Gage Garmo had been battling bone cancer for 3 years and his last wish was to get a sit-down with his idol, Eminem. Gage died 24 hours later, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Friends and fans help teenager get his wish
Gage was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of bone cancer in his freshman year, but despite the chemo and the surgeries, he still made it into the varsity football team. He was a kind and very energetic young man who was always there for his friends – so when his health took a turn for the worse and he had his leg amputated and was then given only one week to live because the cancer had spread to most organs in his body, the same friends rallied to do something beautiful for him too.
They knew he was a diehard Eminem fan, so after setting up a GoFundMe account for the family to get donations, they started spreading the word on social media in view of making a meeting happen. They hoped someone from Eminem’s entourage or management would hear about the campaign and grant Gage’s final wish.
The Rainbow Connection, a Michigan charity that grants wishes to terminally ill children, intervened and made it happen: on Sunday evening, when Gage’s parents went to answer the door, they and their son were pleasantly shocked to see Eminem standing in the doorway.
Rumor online has it that he was quick to grant the wish, and only asked that the media would not be informed of the visit because he didn’t want to turn it into a spectacle – you know, like those celebrities who stage photo-ops at hospitals do.
The most amazing surprise
“Gage sat up with a grin on his face,” Rainbow Connection’s Ingrid Todt reveals. “His family hadn't seen their son do that in such a long time. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. The stars aligned, and Gage's wish came true.”
Eminem spent an hour with Gage in the family living room, while his parents and siblings looked on. They chatted about rap music and school and his health, and the teenager was in brighter spirits than he’d been in a very long time.
Unfortunately, he died only 24 hours after the visit. Gage would have been 18 this Friday.
Mission accomplished ☑️ God Bless this beautiful kid and thank you guys for all your hard work... http://t.co/p5VCdRgTsb
— PRhyme (@Royceda59) January 12, 2015