Supernatural Fans Give a Tribute to Jared Padalecki At Comic Con Updated!
The loving tribute has been covered around the Internet. Here is what is being said
In an emotional show of support for Jared Padalecki’s Always Keep Fighting campaign, the Supernatural panel at Comic-Con concluded with over 7,000 fans holding up candles in a show of solidarity for the star’s battle with depression.
Ahead of Supernatural‘s Sunday panel, fans filing into a packed Hall H were handed special tea light candles with the words “Always Keep Fighting” written on them — the phrase that was featured on Padalecki’s charity T-shirts.
The effort was organized by fan Anne Kirn, with help from Misha Collins’ Random Acts foundation.
Once he realised the meaning of the lights, Padalecki, along with his castmates, stood up to applaud fans for their support. He told the audience, “This is touching and humbling… I don’t have the proper words to say thank you.”
“I didn’t know at first what it was,” Jared told Access Hollywood on Sunday after the panel. “I had no idea. … I was like, ‘What’s going on here?’ At first, I thought people were holding their iPhones up and like recording. And then, as I looked… I was like, ‘Wait, these are lights.’ And then, someone dropped off a light, with the note and explaining what it was.”
Along with the candles that were passed out to the crowd came a note: “Everyone is given a candle that burns just for them. When your flame flickers and you fear it will go out, know not seven the strongest wind lasts forever; and there are other lights to guide you even in the Darkness…And when your candle burns bright, you can ignite the hearts of others and hope will spread like wildfire…Always Keep Fighting, and you’ll never fight alone.”
“I just want to say thank you, so much,” Padalecki told us of his message to the fans who organized the candle surprise. “It’s stuff that I have dealt with and I’m still dealing with so it means so much to me. I hope the fans feel support from me the way I feel support from them. I love them all very much. I really do. Fight for each other. Love each other. Always keep fighting.”
Even the mainstream press found this gesture to be news worthy. MSNBC listed it as one of the Top Stories You Need To Know This Morning.
UPI, BBC News, MTV, and ABC News all reported on this beautiful way fans showed their love for Jared.
Jared is also trending #1 on Facebook in the News category.
Jared’s honesty about his depression and his work to bring attention to this disease has been an inspiration to to so many. He deserves this incredible gift from fans.
UPDATED with a video showing the panel’s reaction to the candles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sb7WGw0Beo&feature=youtu.be
What a beautiful video of an incredible moment.
That was a really sweet thing to do :’)
This fandom just amazes me. I have never seen anything like it. The show of love and support for Jared throughout his ordeal has been beautiful to watch. I’m with Jared….words escape me.
The tea light tribute was just so sweet. What a supremely awesome thing to do. Kudos to the wonderful woman who set it up. Such a simple idea that packed such a huge punch. Jared looked so awed. 🙂
I was just watching the Comicon footage again and at about 43 minutes Richard leans over and points out a piece of paper to Jared who picks it up to read it. His face in that moment is awestruck, and he then seems quite moved. I was wondering if anyone knew if this had to do with the tea light tribute or was it something else. Also, you can see Jensen discreetly reading the letter over Jared’s shoulder; which struck me as sweetly protective in a way.
Yes I think the letter was explaining what was going on plus the message that went with the candle. Both Jeremy and Jensen were looking at Jared. He was seriously overcome. Jared is all over the TV entertainment news tonight. E News and Access Hollywood so far.
His face in that moment, he’s so moved. It takes him nearly a minute to reengage with the conversation on stage. It was a lovely moment.
http://sassywiinchesters.tumblr.com/post/123954338829/themegalosaurus-i-made-a-ton-of-gifs-but-this
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpjtIaYymAI[/video] E News
Check out the NerdHQ. There was another tribute to Jared for his birthday. A fan organized a drive to donate money in Jared’s name to Wounded Warriors and Operation Smile for Jared’s birthday. They gave him a poster and a journal with messages from all the fans who donated. Jared must really be feeling the love. He once again looked overwhelmed with gratitude. He gave the woman who organized it the biggest, warmest hug.
New article at CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/15/health/comic-con-jared-padalecki-depression-feat/index.html
– Lilah
Wow! CNN is the big leagues! Good for Jared and his and Jensen’s campaign. Any publicity is going to be helpful.
Lilah, these links mean the WORLD to me. TYSVM
Thanks Nola. What the fans did really got a lot of publicity all around. 🙂
– Lilah
Wouldn’t come up for me. I’ll try this….
https://41.media.tumblr.com/a88c877e2265dbf144789b7590a8e342/tumblr_nrnkdnV2kp1u23brao1_500.png Celebrity dads
[img]https://33.media.tumblr.com/2628d6f57a5300971601083abf5bc41a/tumblr_nrqkur3rMQ1tdqpwfo3_250.gif[/img]
[b]Happy Birthday Jared[/b]
Cute Pic! Happy 33rd JP!
Happy Birthday Jared. May this coming year hold much happiness for you and your beautiful family.