If there’s one name I can depend on when it comes to movies, it’s Pixar. (I know, it’s Disney-Pixar now. I’m doing my best to overlook that.) I’ve liked every movie but one that they’ve put out.
When I read this Orange County Register article, I gained further respect for Pixar. Colby Curtin, a 10-year-old girl in Huntington Beach, Calif., was diagnosed with vascular cancer in December of 2005. She had a tumor in her liver. This April, she saw the trailer for Up and couldn’t wait to see the movie when it came out. A few days later, her health took a turn for the worse, and by the beginning of this month, she didn’t appear to have much time left.
On June 4, Colby’s mother, Lisa, tried to get a wheelchair from a hospice for her daughter so they could go see Up, which had opened the previous weekend. Unfortunately, the wheelchair didn’t arrive, and by June 9, Colby couldn’t even be taken to a theater.
Terrell Orum-Moore, a family friend who really wanted Colby to see the movie, called both Disney and Pixar to see if someone could help. According to the article, Orum-Moore said Pixar has an automated answering system and you have to know the name of the person you’re calling to get through. She somehow guessed a name and was transferred to someone who could help.
The next day, June 10, a Pixar employee arrived at the Curtin’s home, Up DVD in hand. By this point, Colby couldn’t even see the TV screen because of pain keeping her eyes closed, so her mom told her what was happening as they watched.
About seven hours after seeing the movie, Colby passed away.
Pixar didn’t have to send anyone, but they did. Thankfully, someone there knew it was the right thing to do, and made a little girl’s last day just a bit brighter.