Eminem Visits Terminally Ill Teenage Fan in Michigan

"Monster" rapper and Royce da 5'9" spend time with Gage Garmo

Given about a week to live, 17-year-old Gage Garmo got the surprise of a lifetime Sunday when his 42-year-old idol Eminem appeared in his Rochester Hills, Mich., living room to hang out and talk about their shared love of hip-hop and football. "Gage sat up with a grin on his face," Rainbow Connection's Ingrid Todt told The Detroit Free Press Monday. "His family hadn't seen their son do that in such a long time."

Garmo was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2012 as a freshman in high school. He underwent a series of treatments and surgeries, but last week, doctors informed him that he had just days to live. The ailing teen's friends and loved ones then created a hashtag, #GetGageGarmoToMeetEminem, to facilitate a meeting between Garmo and the rapper. It gained traction on social media and with local news outlets.

Rainbow Connection grants wishes to Michigan children with life-threatening illnesses; the organization organized Garmo's visit within 48 hours. "We're so glad we were able to reach Eminem's people and they were able to respond, and Eminem was able on such short notice to go and see this boy in his own home," executive director Mary Grace McCarter told The Detroit Free Press. "It says something about everybody, really. I hope all the students and friends of Gage feel good about their well-wishes too."

Garmo's parents and little sister called the visit "very special and very quiet at the same time," Todt said. "It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. The stars aligned, and Gage's wish came true."

According to TMZ, Eminem "was adamant he did not want the visit to become a media spectacle."

Royce da 5'9'' joined his Shady Records label mate for the visit. "His family is so strong man," the rapper tweeted. "I was on the verge of dropping a year or two.. Great moment tho. Marshall is a great dude."

Per Rainbow Connection's Facebook page, "The Garmo family sends out a big thank you to Eminem and The Rainbow Connection for making Gage's dream to meet Eminem come true. Gage was so happy!"

At 8:31 p.m. local time Monday, Royce da 5'9" tweeted, "R.I.P. Gage. Glad we got to see him."