Melbourne cancer patient meets actor Adam Sandler

Social media helped Gaige meet his favorite actor

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Monday was the best day ever for Gaige Robbins — he met his favorite actor Adam Sandler.

"This guy spent six hours with us today on set and treated Gaige like he was a star," Gaige's dad, Shane Robbins, told Local 6 news partner FLORIDA TODAY via text message. "The whole crew did."

Recommended Videos



Gaige, a 19-year-old Melbourne man who's being treated for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, traveled with his family to Georgia to meet Sandler after the actor personally invited him.

Sandler spoke to the Eau Gallie High grad last week when Gaige was at Health First's Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, following his latest chemotherapy treatment. Since his diagnosis in fall 2014, Gaige has had three chemo treatments and more than 30 radiation treatments.

His ultimate wish was to meet the "Happy Gilmore" star to tell him "thanks for making movies."

With the help of social media, a viral video by Maddie Field of Melbourne and Julie Johnson of Orlando, news coverage, and a legion of Support Gaige Robbins fans, that wish came true.

The Robbins family drove there Sunday, courtesy of a car by Coastal Hyundai, before their planned stop to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, to see "what trials we can get him into," Shane said last week.

Sandler's currently filming "The Do Over" with pal David Spade, who also posed for pictures with Gaige and his family. His next movie, "Pixels," opens July 24.

During their visit, Sandler gave Gaige the star treatment, introducing him to his movie co-stars, hanging out and posing for pictures. "It was Gaige's greatest day of his life," Shane said via text, adding Sandler "was more than great to us and our son."


Recommended Videos