News of Nintendo’s response to a campaign supporting of a lifelong Legend of Zelda fan who recently passed away is now making the rounds. 26-year-old Gabe Marcelo had been the victim of a heart condition for his entire life, and the only motivation that kept him going as long as he did was the chance to play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
As heart-wrenchingly chronicled by Waypoint, his mother sought out the aid of Nintendo when it became apparent that he would not survive until the March 3 release date for the game he so desperately wanted to play.
His condition didn’t allow him to reach the conventions where it was on display, and Nintendo was not responding to his mother’s calls.
The Nintendo community steps up
When fans directed her to reddit, Nintendo quickly got hold of the story thanks to upvotes from the community and reached out with the chance for Marcelo to play the game at Nintendo’s headquarters. He toured the premises and got to fulfill his dream by playing the demo for a full half-hour.
Marcelo passed away on January 17.
Be sure to read the whole write-up at Waypoint. It’s a beautiful story that not only touches on Marcelo’s struggle and Nintendo’s generosity but also it touches on how video games help those with disabilities reach the goals that they can’t in real life.
