Pixar Arranges Home Screening Of "Up" For Dying 10-Year-Old
We know, that headline just oozes treacle. But it's for real! The family friend of a dying child cold-called Pixar's offices and guessed her way through the phone tree to a live person, then pleaded her case: the child desperately wanted to see Up, but was possibly days away from death and too sick to travel or sit in a movie theater. The next day, a Pixar employee arrived with a DVD of the movie and sat with the family while they watched it. Sometimes people can be really decent to each other.
Colby was a movie fan, [mom] Lisa Curtin said, and she latched onto Pixar's movies because she loved animals.
[On April 30] Colby's health began to worsen. On June 4 her mother asked a hospice company to bring a wheelchair for Colby so she could visit a theater to see "Up." However, the weekend went by and the wheelchair was not delivered, Lisa Curtin said.
By June 9, Colby could no longer be transported to a theater and her family feared she would die without having seen the movie.
At that point, Orum, who desperately wanted Colby to get her last wish, began to cold-call Pixar and Disney to see if someone could help.
Pixar has an automated telephone answering system, Orum said, and unless she had a name of a specific person she wanted to speak to, she could not get through. Orum guessed a name and the computer system transferred her to someone who could help, she said.
"Pixar grants girl's dying wish to see 'Up'" [OC Register] (Thanks to Mike!)
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Comments:
I supposed it's too much to hope that upon seeing the movie she was so invigorated she's no longer dying? I haven't read the article to find out but there would be a really nice pixaresque ending.
You know it's funny, when a business behaves as a human being, you really don't mind giving them a little business & can overlook the occasional mistake or defect that occurs. It works both ways, so props to them for being a person.
this is once again, Disney showing the world that they are not customers, they are Guests! Way to go Disney/Pixar!
VERY cool. Wish I knew who all at Pixar was responsible for this. They defiantly deserve recognition (and some free drinks on me if they're in SF).
Well I've had my cry for the evening after reading the little girl died seven hours after seeing the movie. Bless her little heart and her family.
I admit, I sniffled a bit.
Kudos to Pixar for doing this. But to those who will ask, well why can't other businesses be like this (e.g. like the airline leg-surgery story), there are several differences.
1. Pixar makes money like crazy, and has creatively-tasked employees for whom personal acts of kindness in one-time-situations are also easy to materialize because it costs them essentially no money.
2. all that's required is for one employee to bring a DVD to a sick child's room
3. Pixar does not have to serve 10,000 people per day
4. Pixar doesn't get affected by weather, flight cancellations, people yelling at them with unreasonable expectations.
An airline can't bring a dying child a DVD like Pixar can. The most it can do consistently is arrive on-time, safely, and for even that they will get complained about.
People will always love Pixar, because it's their job to make people happy. And they will hate airlines, because the best airlines can do nowadays is not make you unhappy.
KUDOS TO PIXAR. For once, I'm glad to see some uncommon decency from a company employee who was empowered to help.
Man, I've NEVER cried at a story like this. Not ever. I don't consider myself and emotional dude, I don't, but... Damn. :( Just... damn.
That's one of the happiest, saddest stories I think I've ever read.
Pass the tissues.
Why couldn't they just download the damn movie? Seems a lot easier than cold calling Pixar / Disney. And that really sucks about the little girl dying man. It's sad to hear about anyone dying let alone a young child who never really got the chance to experience life to begin with...Sucks...
I wonder if I could get Gumbel 2 Gumbel back on the air this way ...
(come on, I know at least one of your guys out there was thinking of that!)
Pixar officials declined to comment on the story or name the employees involved.
Oh, come on.
@kepler11: I agree. Most businesses cannot flex they way companies like this can, especially for non-extraordinary circumstances.
Being on a later flight IS NOT going to kill you, it sucks, and a hassel, but not death. And even if it were life and death, your emergencies are not always going to be more important then the combined convience of the 200 other people you might effect. Most people are just really selfish.
I just watched the Pixar story a few months ago and that's one stellar company. This situation just adds to that. I've helped out with Make a Wish and it's very rewarding.
@TCama: No, that's what makes this story so good, man. Pixar did what theyfelt was right, what they had to do. They're not publishing PRs, not saying "Hey, look at us!". They're keeping quiet.
When it came down it this was about granting a dying girl's wish... not getting publicity. The fact Pixar declined to comment amplifies the beauty of the story tenfold.
@hillsrovey: Presumably somebody recorded it in theaters. However, the child's wish was not "I want to see 'Up' as filmed by the creators of 'The Blair Witch Project', so that wouldn't work too well. As stated by others, kudos to Pixar.
@wvFrugan:
Funny, I didn't know that Pixar was part of Disney when I wrote the above, but while writing that I was thinking of how I don't mind Disney's high prices (IMO) quite as much since they seem to be fairly good to their employees (same sex benefits, etc.). Interesting how corporate culture is just like a person's voice or personality, people know & can tell.
@xtc46 - thinksmarter on twitter: Wow...two "blame the OP" comments--from a whole 'nother thread!! Mr. Arpey pays on time, does he?
well look at it this way
Apple has excellent customer service and was started by Steve Jobs
and so was pixar.....
@TCama: No, I like that. This is the family's business. If they want to talk to the press, that's their choice. This way it's not Pixar telling a story that's about how nice they are.
Way to go Pixar\Disney. You see sometimes it's just the small things that count the most.
@TCama: Now, what you see there is what used to be called "class". They don't want to shamelessly self-promote for making a little girl happy, or go out of their way to gain PR for it. That's what most companies had, before they started actually giving you the service you deserved, and shouting it from the rooftops like they were actually doing something spectacular, or "greenwashing" themselves with their faux embracing of whatever latest social phenomenon was the rage.
Keepin' it classy, Pixar. You rule!!
@kepler11: While your points are well taken, let's not take away from a small detail of humanity when the world is obsessed with the giant strokes.
And while you're right to point that the Airlines (in particular) themselves can't do much, the individual employees can.
@Coles_Law: And kudos for them making the attempt to see it outside the theater with Pixar's permission. It's could be easy to jump onto the "well in this case the download is warranted" bandwagon.
And in this case almost everyone wins, but in the saddest of ways.
Our hearts reach out to her family. From a bunch of Pixar fans to another.
@wvFrugan: honestly, for the frontline employees [cast members] the pay sucks and the insurance benefits aren't great [but better than a lot of places]
but i stuck with it for 7 years for two reasons :
#1 i was encouraged to treat people well and do the right thing
#2 it looks marvelous on a resume
You just know that made her happy. It's such a small thing that they did, really, and it made her so happy. That's a great way to go.
It's the little things in life, not the "big" things, that matter.
This is the best (and saddest) story I've read all day.
Pixar, you are awesome. Good job keeping it classy (by refusing to comment on your good deed).
I ah.... *sniff*... it's just my allergies. I swear.. *sniffle*
@TCama: Are you high? That's the best part of this whole situation. They did the right thing because it was the right thing to do - not because it looks good.
@Preyfar: It's these kind of stories that sort give a glimmer of hope for humanity, both on the individual level and the collective. I may go see this movie now, despite having no interest to actually see it.
Aww, what a very touching story... Nice job Pixar..
I'm glad that I'm not the only one that shed a tear after reading this...
@AppleAlex: Actually, Pixar was a spin off group of George Lucas' ILM company. He sold it to Steve Jobs. Some rumors state the transaction was to slim assets his wife might get during their divorce. Admittedly, it was under Jobs in which the company grew into what it is today.
A big thumbs up to the company and the employee for their efforts.
I say that we start a campaign to put her in a Pixar movie... Simple idea.
This story brought tears to my eyes. Thank you Pixar for making a dying girls last wish come true.
@dialing_wand: not always. Many employees are punished for doing things outside of procedure, and in many case their job is worth more than your happiness to them, so I dont blame them for doing what they are told.
@Duke_Newcombe: Im not blaming the OP at all, the post earlier about the knee sucked, the CSR did a poor job, but just becasue a company doesnt go above and beyond doesnt make them bad, it makes them standard. My point was that for the most part, people scream about terrible service when the reality is they expected too much and didnt get their way. That was not the case with the previously posted story (for the most part).
@xtc46 - thinksmarter on twitter: 4. It would have taken 7 hours to download and the child would have died before the end of the movie.
@catastrophegirl - brand new homeowner:
Alas, my last shred of hope that corporate human decency may exist is shattered.
Cool!