There’s never a bad time for a quick reminder that goodness and charity exist in the world because it’s abundantly clear that sadness and unfairness sure do as well.
Landon is a seven-year-old from Saskatchewan with impressive cosplay skills and a deep love for the geek treasures that we’re all lucky to be surrounded by. His mom, Shawn, is happy to show off pictures of him dressed as Deadpool, Ant-Man, and of course, The Doctor from Doctor Who.
Unfortunately, Landon hasn’t had the kind of exclusively carefree childhood that we all wish for our kids. In November, his older brother Jaeden died of a brain tumor and Landon is fighting cystic fibrosis (here’s a link if you’d like to learn more about the disease). His mother tells us that they are, “fortunate not to have as many issues as most” who deal with the progressive lung disease, but explains that he’s on two inhaled medications, among other treatments right now after a winter where he thankfully only had to fend off a couple of colds.
The family was supposed to venture to the Calgary Comic And Entertainment Expo last weekend to see the current star of Doctor Who (and Landon’s favorite), Peter Capaldi, in person, but it just wasn’t possible. Thankfully, two family friends were able to act as messengers, sharing Landon’s story, showing off Landon’s cosplay pictures, and delivering a video that he made.
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The result is that aforementioned goodness reminder and it’s not the first one to come from Capaldi. Though his character can put off an air of gruffness over top of the Doctor’s usual warmth and affection for humanity, Capaldi pulls at the heart strings when he offers a virtual hug and tells Landon that he hopes to see him sometime in the future.
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To you and I, it’s a nice feel-good moment, but to a kid who deserves every chance to feel overcome with the joy that surely comes from having a time lord pay attention to you, it’s gotta be unforgettable. And as you can see in this adorable response video from Landon, it’s a moment that he’s eager to relive right after watching Capaldi’s video for the first time.
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Landon’s mom tells us that he wants to be the Doctor when he grows up. Here’s hoping Landon feels better and gets a chance to meet Capaldi next time he’s in the area so he can get some tips.