Chadwick Boseman, who died of cancer Friday at age 43, inspired many in roles as King T’Challa, Jackie Robinson and James Brown. But his heroism went beyond the big screen. During his private, four-year battle with colon cancer, he visited and kept in touch with children fighting their own battles against cancer.

Two years ago, at the shared hospital, Boseman visited the St. Jude campus.

Their parents told Boseman that they were trying to hold on until the movie’s release, which he said was humbling. He said that it inspired him to work hard for everyone who was expecting “something great.”

“Chadwick has persisted through all this and brought you many videos that you love. From Marshall to Da five Bloods, August Wilson’s My Rainey’s Black Bottom and many others, they were all filmed and among countless surgeries and chemotherapy,” they continued.