Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds said he was “choked up” after meeting a terminally ill fan before Wrexham’s promotion clinching victory.
Jay Fear, 45, who was diagnosed with appendix cancer in January, chatted with A-lister at the club’s Racecourse stadium. The Deadpool star, who is Wrexham’s co-owner, gave him a glove from the movie and arranged for him to visit the set for the series' third film.
Reynolds, 46, said: "It was amazing to meet Jay. I wonder if I'd have the same unwavering joy if our roles were reversed. He is an exceptional person and his family is wonderful. I got a little choked up talking to him and feeling how much his kids and wife are going to miss him."
Jay, from Southampton, Hampshire, said his family would remember it forever. "They always say you should never meet your idol and this guy is definitely an exception to that,” he said.
The charity Bucket List Wishes helped arrange the meeting before Saturday’s match, which saw Wrexham beat Boreham Wood 3-1 to win the National League title and gain promotion to the Football League for the first time in 15 years.
Reynolds invited Jay to Pinewood studios to watch filming for the next instalment on the movie series. Mr Fear told the star: "I really hope I'm going to be about to get to see Deadpool 3 when it comes out."
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He added: ”He went 'well, we're filming in six weeks so why don't we get you guys up to London. Yeah, let's make that happen' I was like.... 'please'."
Mr Fear, who was joined in Wrexham by his wife Deb, daughter Jess, 18, and son Sam, 16, added: "People might think this whole thing was for me.
"Actually, this is for my family because they are the ones that are going to remember what happened for the rest of their lives. I just hope this is a core memory that they'll never forget.”
Mr Fear became a fan of Wrexham after watching the Disney+ documentary Welcome to Wrexham, which tells the story of the takeover of the club by Reynolds and his pal Rob McElhenney, 45, star of the US TV series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
