A vigil was held Monday evening to remember the Grossmont High School student and "Captain America" fan whose visit with his heroes tugged at our hearts earlier this year.
Friends and family of 18-year-old Ryan Wilcox remembered the young man who they say did not lose his battle against cancer.
"He beat it a long time ago by the way he chose to LIVE," the family posted to Facebook when they announced his death Saturday.
Wilcox, a student at Grossmont High School, was so beloved by his classmates that earlier this year they held a school rally in his honor.
"He stood in front of the stage and everyone in the audience had an arm up and he posed in front and we were able to get this awesome picture," said Allison Schafer. "And it represented, not only the school but the community coming together."
Another student says Wilcox brought separate groups together in the high school after they heard of his battle and strength.
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Candles formed the words "Ryan Strong" on the stage; words used to describe Wilcox by his friends and peers.
"Tonight, it made me realize how strong he made us come together and how our community became powerful through him," said student Kelsey York.
The teenager drew strength from the superheroes in the "Captain America" film franchise.
So the students asked for Wilcox to receive a visit from his idols, the cast of Captain America.
Actor Chris Evans responded with a video that surprised Wilcox at the May 6 rally.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts in the franchise, suggested that she, Evans and Robert Downey, Jr. follow up with a visit to the teenager.
The trio followed through and stopped by for a visit a few weeks later.
Grossmont High School and all of the other schools in the district are asking students to wear red, white, and blue on Tuesday to honor Wilcox.
