Dan Craft—the ailing Star Trek fan whose dying wish to see J.J. Abrams' upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness was granted by the director—has died. He was 41.
Per an announcement on the New York Asian Film Festival's Facebook page where he worked as one of the organization's directors, Craft passed away on Jan. 4.
"His wife and brother were with him when he went, and he wasn't in any pain," read the post. "He'd been a bit loopy for a few days as his liver failed and toxins built up in his blood, and on Thursday his wife asked him if he needed to go to the bathroom. "I'm going..." he proclaimed, "Into the future."
A fellow NYAFF staffer, Grady Hendrix, told the Los Angeles Times that the cause of death was liver cancer brought on by leukemia.
Earlier, Hendrix took to Reddit and thanked Netizens for helping get word out about his dying friend. Two weeks ago after hearing how Dan hoped to see the nine-minute teaser of STID screening before The Hobbit in theaters but couldn't because he was hospitalized, Abrams sent a producer to screen a DVD of the film's rough cut for him.
"The last thing he got to do that gave him pleasure was watch the new Star Trek movie. And it's because of you," Hendrix wrote.
A rep for Abrams could not be reached for comment. But Zachary Quinto, who reprises his role as Spock in the movie, extended his condolences on Twitter as soon as he heard about his passing.
"My heart is with the family of dan craft. 'may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest,'" the actor tweeted.
According to trekmovie.com, a funeral for Craft will be held later this month. And his wife Paige told the site that her husband donated his body to science and his family is happy that his wishes are being carried out.