Johnny Depp realized a cancer survivor’s dream in 2011 when the Make-A-Wish Foundation contacted the longtime supporter to ask if he would grant her wish to meet.
Now the actor has penned a heartfelt foreword to a children’s book written by the same cancer warrior.
Katie Vandrilla, 31, is the author of children’s book Thumper’s London Adventure and a leukemia survivor who flew to London to meet her ‘hero’ Johnny Depp on the set of Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows.
And more than a decade later, Depp continues to offer his support by writing the foreword for Vandrilla’s latest children’s book, which hits shelves July 20. He wrote the sweet note in Paris on June 17, just weeks after his win over ex-wife Amber Heard.
“To my dearest Katie, to her dear family and friends,” the foreword begins. “And to all the lovely children out there and to all their dear family and friends who are in need of a little extra care and understanding right now.
“Please know that you are loved and that we are all thinking of you!
“With all my love, respect and well wishes to you, Johnny.”
Johnny Depp met cancer survivor Katie Vandrilla in 2011 when he granted her a “wish” through Make-A-Wish while filming Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows
Now the actor has penned a heartfelt foreword to a children’s book Vandrilla wrote
During his week-long defamation trial of ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp’s charitable contributions have been questioned. At the booth, Depp said, “When I donate money, I donate without my name being involved because I don’t see that it’s important that my name is there in relation to money.”
Now cancer-free, Vandrilla is a high school chemistry teacher and co-director for drama in Berlin, Connecticut.
Her life changed when she was diagnosed with leukemia when she was just 16 years old.
She told : “Meeting Johnny just meant everything to me.
“He gave me an escape and something to look forward to when I needed it most. And that moment changed my life in the best way imaginable.”
Vandrilla said she writes for fun and began writing children’s books about her stuffed rabbit, Thumper, while she was being treated for cancer.
“It started out as a therapeutic project for myself and then grew into something bigger that I continued to work on for a number of years. The story had to be fun, educational and inspiring,” she said.
The latest book follows Thumper as he has a chance to be reunited with his family. The bunny must find Big Ben before the clock runs out or be lost in London forever.
When her first book in the Thumper series was published in 2018, she donated the royalties to Make-A-Wish to help other children with life-threatening illnesses make their dreams come true.
“My Make-A-Wish sent me to a city I never intended to travel, London, and is now a big part of my life,” she said in a blog post.
“Giving back to Make-A-Wish is also a big aspect of my daily life. Aside from my book, I volunteer as a wish granter to help other children with critical illness make their wishes come true.”
Now cancer-free, Vandrilla is a high school chemistry teacher and co-director for drama in Berlin, Connecticut
Vandrilla said she writes for fun and began writing children’s books about her stuffed bunny named Thumper (pictured) while she was undergoing cancer treatment
Vandrilla told : ‘Meeting Johnny meant nothing less than everything to me’
“He gave me an escape and something to look forward to when I needed it most. And that moment changed my life in the best way imaginable,” said Vandrilla
Johnny Depp is known for his charity work.
Just last week he made a significant donation to the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation in Australia.
The 59-year-old actor donated nearly $800,000 (AUD1,173,548) to various charities through the sale of NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
Depp’s NFT community, called Never Fear Truth, split the donations between the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, the Footprint Coalition and the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
During his week-long defamation trial of ex-wife Amber Heard, his charitable contributions were questioned.
Speaking at the booth, Depp said: “When I donate money, I donate without my name being involved because I don’t see that it’s important that my name is there in relation to money.”
Depp said he prefers working behind the scenes, including turning premieres of his films into fundraisers for charities like Great Ormond St Hospital for Children in London, or as a volunteer at Make-A-Wish.
He said: “I’m not looking for that pat on the back. I don’t need flattery, I don’t need attention.’
Thumper’s Hospital Adventure was released in 2018.