“It’s a very scary disease”: The Way Fans United to Support One Supernatural Star’s Niece With Rare Brain Cancer is Why It’s the Best Fandom in TV History

SUMMARY

• Jim Beaver’s grandniece Kira Stanley was diagnosed with rare brain tumor in 2017.
• The actor asked help from the Supernatural fans and they did not disappoint him.
• Kira passed away in 2019 after battling cancer for two years.

Supernatural’s Jim Beaver recounted the harrowing experience his grandniece Kira had to go through after she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. The actor, who played Bobby Singer, also shared how fans united and supported him during the darkest times.

Credits: Jim Beaver in Supernatural / The CW

It’s no wonder that the Supernatural community is one of the strongest fan bases in the world. The show ran for 15 seasons from 2005 to 2020, a historical achievement in the entertainment industry.

Supernatural Fans Came to Rescue Jim Beaver’s Niece Amid Battle With Cancer

Jim Beaver shared Kira’s condition on social media back in 2017. She was actually his niece’s daughter, making her his grandniece. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed details about her illness. “It’s a rare one. It’s a very scary disease, and she’s got one of the scarier variations,” he stated.

Kira was supposed to take her driving test when her eyesight went bad. Five weeks later, she became ill and that was when they discovered she had brain cancer. Beaver said the case was so rare that doctors did not know how to cure it. The treatments were also experimental and insurance companies were not keen on shelling out money.

Credits: Jim Beaver and Kira Stanley / Facebook

The actor turned to the Supernatural community because he knew people would help him and his family. With the rising medical bills, he had to find a way to support Kira’s expenses.

The moment he shared his situation online, he received fans’ outpouring of support, not only in monetary donations but also in their prayers and wishes. He knew that fans would not let him down, and some of the donations were from other cancer patients who were going through the same situation as Kira.

The goal was to raise $350,000 via GoFundMe, but as soon as Beaver posted his call for help, fans were quick to send in their contributions. “The last time I checked it was over $263,000. It went up tens of thousands of dollars in the first hour after the fans found out about it,” he shared. As the hospital bill went up, the donation also topped $275,000 in total.

Apart from monetary aid, fans also sent in letters and gifts to Kira, proving how compassionate and generous the Supernatural community is.

Jim Beaver Remained Grateful to Fans Even After Kira’s Death

Credits: Jim Beaver in Supernatural / The CW

Two years after her battle with a rare brain tumor, Kira passed away in 2019. Beaver wrote a tribute on his social media platform, along with his gratitude towards fans who helped him and his grandniece fund her medical expenses.

She passed away on Christmas Day, but in early December, she was already letting her family know that her health was failing terribly. Beaver said in the same post that Kira lived longer than most patients with the same condition, and it was in part because of everyone’s support, mostly from people she had never met.

Supernatural is currently available to watch on Netflix.

Written by Ariane Cruz

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Ariane Cruz, Senior Writer. She has been contributing articles for FandomWire since 2021, mostly covering stories about the latest movies and series. With a degree in Communication Arts, she has an in-depth knowledge of print and broadcast journalism. Her other works can also be seen on Screen Rant and CBR.