Gearbox invited the cancer-stricken Borderlands fan to the headquarters to give him the opportunity to play the yet unreleased shooter.
Sometimes life is just unfair and way too short for some. About a month ago, a Borderlands fan on Reddit wrote a post in which he made his deadly cancer diagnosis public.
One of his biggest wishes for the short time he had left was to play Borderlands 4 – even though he would most likely not live to see the release.Now this wish has been fulfilled.
Gearbox invites fan to the headquarters
In October, user Cjmac87 posted a photo of himself during his cancer treatment in the Borderlands subreddit. The post has received more than 19,000 upvotesto date, and there are over 500 comments below it.
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In the post, the 37-year-old described his situation and said he wanted to try to get in touch with the developers of his favorite game series.
My name is Caleb McAlpine, I’m 37 years old. In August, I was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer. It started in my rectum but spread to my entire liver. I’ve been given 7-12 months and IF the chemotherapy slows the progression of the cancer, I have less than 2 years left.
So: I’m a die-hard Borderlands fan and I don’t know if I’ll still be around for Borderlands 4. Does anyone know how to contact Gearbox to see if there’s a way to play the game earlier?
It’s unlikely, but I thought it was worth a try.
According to the German Cancer Society, the opportunities for early cancer detection are not used enough. Especially when cancer is detected at an early stage, there are prospects for effective therapy. On the official website of the society, you can find everything you need to know about early cancer detection For example, from what age people are advised to have check-ups.
A cancer diagnosis – no matter at what stage – is also very stressful for patients and their families. Nobody has to go through this alone. On the website of the German Cancer Research Center, you can find free counseling centers in your area
After his post went viral outside of Reddit, it apparently also reached the management of Gearbox. Studio head Randy Pitchfort announced on October 24th on Twitter/X that he had contacted Caleb to do whatever it takes to make a difference.
A few days ago, the time had come: Caleb flew first class to Texas to visit the Gearbox headquarters. Just an update, Thank you everyone ☻
byu/Cjmac87 inborderlands3
We got to play everything they have for Borderlands 4 so far and it was incredible. I don’t know if I’ll still be around when the game comes out, but I just want to thank you all for all your love and support and for helping to make this happen. It really was an incredible experience and just awesome.
It was a special experience for Pitchfort and the studio too. The boss was impressed and humbled by Caleb and the Borderlands community, who had drawn Gearbox’s attention to the heartbreaking story. The official Gearbox account also responded in a post on Twitter/X:
We’re deeply thankful to the Borderlands community for rallying around Caleb after he shared his story several weeks ago. His courage, strength, and determination are an inspiration to us all. Our team was honored to host him last week at our studio. https://t.co/UnhJB1awlh
— GearboxOfficial (@GearboxOfficial) November 27, 2024
In the comments sections below the posts, a number of Borderlands fans are gathering to send Caleb Kraft their support and celebrate what the community has made possible. This is a wonderful example of how fans can grow together not only through entertainment and shared interests, but also through compassion and support.
