Dying Girl Gets Final Wish To See "Up"

Cancer-Stricken 10-Year-Old Able To Watch Movie At Home Before Dying

(AP)  Colby Curtin got her final wish.

The 10-year-old girl desperately wanted to see the new Disney-Pixar movie, "Up." But the cancer-stricken girl was too sick to go to a theater.

Thanks to a family friend who got in touch with the movie studio Pixar, an employee of the Emeryville-based company arrived at Colby's home with a DVD copy of the movie, The Orange County Register reported Friday. The girl died later that night.

Colby's mother, Lisa, said she had asked her daughter if she could hang on until the movie arrived.

"I'm ready (to die), but I'm going to wait for the movie," she said her daughter replied.

"Up" is the animated tale of a grumpy old man who, after his wife's death, tries to fulfill their joint dream of visiting South America by tying thousands of balloons to his house and floating away.

"When I watched it, I had really no idea about the content of the theme of the movie," Colby's mother told the Register. "I just know that word 'Up' and all of the balloons and I swear to you, for me it meant that (Colby) was going to go up. Up to heaven."

Colby, who was diagnosed with vascular cancer in 2005, saw previews for the film in April.

"It was from then on, she said, 'I have to see that movie. It is so cool,"' family friend Carole Lynch said.

But the girl's health began to deteriorate. On June 4, Curtin asked a hospice company to bring a wheelchair so that her daughter could go to a movie theater but the chair was not delivered over the weekend, Curtin said.

By June 9, Colby was too sick to go anywhere.

Another family friend, Terrell Orum, called both Pixar and Disney, which owns the animation studio. The message was received by Pixar officials, who agreed to send someone to Colby's house the next day with a copy of "Up" for a private screening, Orum said.

The employee arrived with the DVD, stuffed animals of characters and other movie memorabilia.

Colby was unable to open her eyes to see the movie so her mother described the scenes. When her mother asked if she enjoyed it, the girl nodded, Curtin said.

The Pixar employee left after the movie, taking the DVD, which has not been released. Lynch, who was with the family during the screening, said the employee's "eyes were just welled up."

A call to Pixar seeking comment was not immediately returned Friday.

Colby, with her parents nearby, died later that night.

Her mother said one of the memorabilia left by the Pixar employee was an "adventure book" based on a scrapbook that, in the movie, is kept by the wife of the main character.

"I'll have to fill those adventures in for her," Lisa Curtin said of her daughter.

[1blessedFam]

This story truly touched my heart. I have always admired PIXAR for their films, but a story like this just shows you that there are genuinely good-hearted people running this company. Bless you, PIXAR.

My prayers are with this family, I cannot imagine losing a child, but hopefully they will find peace in knowing that someone really cared to make their little girl happy before God brought her home.

[rwsmith29456]

Poor little thing. Colby. I'm glad that she got her wish. "I'm ready (to die), but I'm going to wait for the movie." How sad. At least her last moments were made some happier.

[sean58z]

Why hold-off the sale of DVDs? Movie theaters died. The shows make a profit due to over-priced tickets and concessions. Hollywood should join the real world in the 21st century. Electronic media is the hot item.

[goldsummer]

Its taken me a few mins to comment on this story because my eyes were filled with tears. My thoughts and prayers are with Colby and her family. Bless the Disney/Pixar employees that took the time to see to a dying childs last wish.

[rushlimpdrug]

One good deed is repaid many times over.

Thanks to the studio.

God bless the family.

Yes, I will go see the movie and
encourage many others to do the same.

[South-of-Heaven]

Rest in Peace little one...

[anngw]

I think that Disney/Pixar should donate $1.00 for every ticket sold for "Up" to childhood cancer research, because I for one will go to see the movie because of this story. I would have never dreamed of going before. Perhaps there are thousands like me.

[enough-already]

The saddest part of this story, to me, was the fact that she couldn't even open her eyes to watch the movie that she was hanging on to see. And she STILL enjoyed it. What a kid. My heart is aching.

[gedeon9999]

I have not seen this movie yet but my wife and kids have seen it and they love it. After reading Colby' s story I will see this movie and will always think about her. Our youth Pastor just this past Sunday said how it would be so cool to have the Lord hand us a dvd in heaven if we wanted to see how he created the earth. Imagine what that DVD must look like. Can you just imagine what DVD's Colby must be looking at now. God Bless You.

[SteelersWinAgain]

Made me cry too. A child's last wish granted, just in time.

[mahdeealoo]

Lisa, Bless you and I DO hope you fill every page of that album with adventures.

[Illuminated1]

This story makes me remember my childhood, and am so sad to hear about Colby passing...my deepest condolences to the parents

Way back in 1965 or so, as a child, my father took me to my first movie, "Fantasia"
I will forever remember that movie, since it was all new to me...........
Thanks to Walt Disney I was enlightened, and thanks to Disney for letting a dying child a final wish upon a star.

[nourrites]

You can't walk away from reading this without tears in your eyes and just knowing you are being reminded of what is really important in life. To her family, you are being thought of and prayed for. I'm so glad that she got her wish. In that unexplainable way that movie will become "their" movie. I will go to see this movie in memory of your daughter and be thinking of her as I view it. God be with you.

[bigreddog222]

Couldn't have said it better. I will buy the movie. When I feel down or bad, I will watch this movie and remember exactly how glad I am to just be here and remember this little girl who went through sooo much.

[bigreddog222]

The combination of her pretty little smile and story made me absolute cry. Rest in peace baby girl. You certainly have touched my heart. I wish they would have left the DVD for her parents to remember her. I cannot remember the last time I was soooooo touched by a story. ...tears in eyes...

[SusanStoHelit]

The movie is somewhat appropriate for her too - a story that really fits her situation - and her mother's - in a lot of ways. And with some good humor (SQUIRREL! )that I hope helped her forget her troubles a little bit for her last night.

[solothinker]

glad to see that at least there is a corporate giant out there with a heart. I'll buy the dvd when it comes out just for this reason.

[rational_1]

I agree - really classy of Disney! My kids are really looking forward to seeing Up.

[toldyouso29]

Beautiful and so sad too. Millions of kudos to Disney for doing this--big thumbs down for who ever not got around to providing a wheelchair. RIP little Colby.

[SusanStoHelit]

So glad they called the movie studio. Knowing Disney and Pixar from past actions, I'm not surprised at all they did this - lots of great Disney stories out there - but so glad they called before time was up.

[saturn05]

Geez, I'm not much of a crier, but this one got me. Kudos to Pixar/Disney.