Ryan Reynolds Visits 8-Year-Old Cancer Patient and Fan in Boston Hospital

Ryan Reynolds paid a visit to a young fan undergoing cancer treatment in Boston.

Reynolds, 47, surprised Deadpool fan and cancer patient Nash, 8, with a visit to Mass General Hospital for Children, which was captured on video and shared via X by the hospital on Friday, September 20.

The Deadpool & Wolverine actor entered the hospital room with a bag of gifts and shook Nash’s hand, who was beaming with excitement. Nash, who has a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma, was able to show Reynolds his own superhero mask: a thermoplastic mask used in radiation therapy. Nash’s mask was decorated red and black to look like Deadpool’s.

“Can I get a picture of us with this?” Reynolds asked Nash before the pair took a selfie with the mask. “This is a first for me too.”

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Reynolds, who works with the SickKids Foundation, took the time to praise Nash for his resilience at such a young age.

“Everything you’ve gone through, that is a lot for an 8-year-old kid to shoulder. I hope you know that,” Reynolds said in the video. “You’ve got what’s called mettle, grit. Everything you’re going through today, I promise you, it’s gonna be incredibly useful.”

Nash was also treated to a FaceTime with Reynolds’s Deadpool & Wolverine costar and real-life friend Hugh Jackman. Nash’s mother, Angie Poirer, shared a video of the call via X, wherein Reynolds says to Jackman, 55, over the phone, “I’m at a Boston hospital with a kid named Nash. He’s the coolest kid you’ll ever meet and he’s going to watch Deadpool & Wolverine soon.” Reynolds added, joking, “He probably doesn’t even know who you are!”

Poirer captioned her video, “Loved this moment. When Ryan’s BFF Hugh Jackman happens to call during your visit, you get a bonus FaceTime with WOLVERINE! .”

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Poirer shared more photos from the day in a separate post, where she revealed that Nash’s custom Deadpool radiation mask is what led to Reynolds’s visit.

“Ryan Reynolds and I have followed each other on Twitter for years,” Poirer wrote via X on Friday. “Sent him a pic of Nash’s custom ‘Deadpool’ radiation mask, he replied he wanted to come meet him in Boston. We kept it a surprise for Nash. Thank you for this memory Ryan!”

Reynolds later reposted the photos via X and thanked the hospital staff at Mass General for Children for “devoting [their] life to this work.” He continued, “Ffs, I know it isn’t easy. Wish every kid needing treatment got it here. And I wish every parent with a sick kid could put their kid in hands this capable.”

The Deadpool actor concluded his post with a message to Nash: “Nash, you’re the best. Love you, pal.”