Early access to Borderlands 4 could be given to a terminally ill fan

Key conclusions

The Borderlands community and the larger gaming community have rallied around Caleb, a terminally ill fan of the marauding shooter.
What started as a simple request has turned into a wish come true as Caleb is set to face Gearbox in November if he is healthy.
Gamers also helped break up his GoFundMe, helping him pay for his necessary medical bills.

It all started with a simple request and has since rippled throughout the gaming community.

A few days ago, Caleb, a 37-year-old disabled veteran diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, asked on the Borderlands subreddit if there was a way for him to contact Gearbox. Because the cancer was spreading so quickly, Caleb had between seven and 12 months to live, and if the chemotherapy was successful, less than two overall. Knowing that he might not be around for the recently unveiled Borderlands 4, Caleb shot into the ether.

What happened next is the type of power a gaming community can have. Since then, his post has surpassed more than 18,000 likes and several hundred comments with wishes and people trying to grant his wish.

Caleb's wish will come true

Shortly after Caleb's post went viral, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford took to Twitter to let fans know that he was aware of the superfan's wish. In Wednesday's post, Pitchford revealed that he and Caleb had been “talking via email” and said “we're going to do everything we can to make something happen.”

Now, in an updated Reddit post, Caleb has revealed that Gearbox has something for him. Assuming he is healthy, he will travel to Texas in mid-to-late November to meet with the team at their headquarters. “Thank you to everyone. It means more than words can describe,” Caleb wrote in his post.

Not only did Caleb's wish seemingly come true, but gamers around the world came together to help reach his GoFundMe page's goal. As of this writing, more than $11,000 has been raised, well above the original goal of $9,000. The funds will go towards medical and travel expenses, as well as food due to the specialized liquid diet he needs.

Here is Caleb and his struggles. We are all rooting for you and for you to make it to your trip in November.