Now: Your Daily Dose of Celebrity NewsChristian Bale becomes real-life superhero for boy with cancer
Christian Bale may have a reputation for his serious demeanor and short temper (as a certain on-set lighting technician knows oh-too-well), but the 38-year-old actor is also proving to be a kind and caring guy. In July, he visited victims wounded in the Colorado movie theater shooting (which took place during a showing of "The Dark Knight Rises," in which Bale stars), and just last week, he arranged to fly a 4-year-old Youngstown, Ohio boy suffering from leukemia to Disneyland. While the boy, named Jayden Barber, was probably thrilled enough to be able to make the trip to the happiest place on Earth, the diehard Batman fan got an extra surprise when Bale himself joined Jayden and his family for lunch.
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"Finally can share!!!" Jayden's mother, Charlene Barber, posted to her Facebook page on Friday along with a few pictures of Bale, Jayden, and family members. "Christian sent us to LA and we had lunch at Disney club 33 on wed!! He and his family were so awesome and down to earth!!!" And the actor was apparently plenty chatty: "They talked movies and super Heros and he was genuinely happy to hear about everything Jayden wanted to tell him," Barber also wrote. "Christian, his wife and daughter are three of the most beautiful people we have ever met!"
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And if you haven't heard of Disney Club 33, you're not alone. The exclusive eatery is a far-cry from the concession stands and casual eateries around the park. It's a fine-dining restaurant open to members only, and has reportedly hosted a number of celebrities and even presidents over the years. The Los Angeles Times reported in May that less than 500 people are rumored to be Club 33 members and membership doesn't come cheap. Those who join must pay $25,000 initiation fee and annual dues of $10,000.
It's not the first time Jayden has been the recipient of generosity. According to Youngstown's WYTV, on August 23 his community gathered at the local football stadium to light the Batman symbol in his honor (an event that came complete with a visit from Batman — a man in costume, not Bale) and declared it "Jayden Barber Day." The station reported that, as of last week, Jayden, who turns 5 on September 17, is in remission.
According to his mother's Facebook page, Jayden was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma bone cancer in early 2010 and was thought to be in remission after 14 rounds of chemo. He was later diagnosed with a second form of rare cancer called MDS leukemia caused by the chemotherapy he had received.
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