Reddit Forum Helps Young Terminal Cancer Patient's Book Dream Come True
In what resembled a crowd-sourced take on the Make-A-Wish foundation, social news site Reddit has helped make the literary hopes of a young, terminally ill patient come true. User kivakid created a post asking, "My friend has terminal cancer and may die by June. I’m trying to fulfill one of his last wishes. Is there any way to obtain a copy of a book that hasn’t been released yet?"
The book was an installment of "The War That Came Early," a series by Harry Turtledove, set to release in July of this year.
Over 1,000 Redditers responded suggesting that he reach out to the author personally or ask the publisher for an Advance Reading Copy. This encouraged kivakid to write a letter to Turtledove, and contact the book's publishing house, Del Ray Books. Many also mentioned that they were acquainted with the author's daughters, and would be happy to inform them of the favor.
"It was 2 in the morning when I posted it, and at 7 this guy gave me a call and was like, I can send you the book right now," kivakid says in a video of him sharing the gift with his friend. "And it came the next day. The Internet can do everything."
To concerned readers: The young man was so excited to get his gift that he swears repeatedly, but we think the emotion of the moment warrants his reaction.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/23/reddit-helps-cancer-patient_n_1296565.html
Now that's a true friend!
I'll bet Turtedove would have written a short story or something for him if the next book hadn't been ready.