SNL's Amy Poehler and the cast of the popular show Parks and Recreation recently made a terminally ill superfan's day in a heartwarming way.
Joshua Ritter, who suffers from a life-threatening genetic disorder called Von-Hippel Lindau syndrome, was granted his wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to meet the cast, crew, writers and directors of the show as they filmed segments for the seventh season of the show.
After meeting the Parks and Recreation cast, Ritter discussed his set visit on Reddit.
"Amy Poehler was litt-rally [sic] one of the kindest and most loving people I've ever met. She just kept coming back for another conversation, hug, or picture... I had no idea that an A-list celebrity like herself could be so sweet and kind. It blew us away."
Ritter was also able to spend time the show's writers, directors, and crew and participate in a studio tour.
"It was honestly the best experience of my life, and they cast/crew was more open and friendly than I could have ever dreamed," Ritter said.
Ritter, whose disease makes him highly susceptible to tumor growth, is currently a college freshman and has already raised $115,000 for the St. Louis Children's Hospital. He hopes to inspire others to support Make-A-Wish through his story.
According to the mission statement of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, wishes "find a way to make a world better whatever the obstacles."
"We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy," the website says.
Ritter says he was touched by Poehler's extreme kindness, adding that she "made sure to get" his contact information to "send stuff and check in every once in awhile."
"You can tell the difference when someone is being nice just to be nice and when someone is genuinely nice and caring," he concluded. "It was really a huge surprise just how much she cared."
Wired reports this upcoming season is the seventh and final season for Parks and Recreation.
