The San Diego Blood Bank along with Ryan Wilcox and a troop of Boy Scouts held a blood drive in La Mesa Saturday.
Wilcox, 18, is battling cancer and is a huge fan of the ‘Avengers’ and ‘Captain America.’ Monday he received a surprise visit from Chris Evans, Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow aka Captain America, Iron Man and Pepper Potts.
"I saw this car pull up and I saw them walking. I was just like — what?" Wilcox told NBC 7.
The blood drive known as Operation "Saving Captain Ryan" not only collected blood, but also added people to the bone marrow registry.
“Well, one, they're doing this because they know I had to go through a lot of blood transfusions, but it will also help out other kids who need blood transfusions, and this group coming together to do this is awesome,” he said during the blood drive.
Wilcox received his first blood transfusion when he was three while battling a brain tumor. Fourteen years later he has been diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a cancer in which bone marrow does not does not make enough healthy blood cells.
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He received a bone marrow transplant from his sister, but it has since relapsed. Wilcox has received over 100 blood and platelet transfusions and continues to need them weekly.
Earlier this month classmates held a #Ryanstrong pep rally for Wilcox during which Chris Evans shared a videotaped message for the teen, saying, “it’s people like you with strength like yours that inspire people like me.”
After the video went viral “Avengers” co-star Gwyneth Paltrow suggested the San Diego trip to meet Wilcox.
Organizers of the blood drive say they filled every appointment to donate Saturday.
Next Thursday, the community is holding a fundraiser to help the Wilcox family at Weevil Burger in La Mesa.
