Johnny Depp, well-known for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, paid a touching tribute to his young fan, Kori Stovell. The 11-year-old, who was a devoted Pirates of the Caribbean enthusiast, had been battling heart issues and was under hospice care following two unsuccessful heart transplants.
Depp, who had earlier connected with Kori through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, shared a heartfelt eulogy for the young “Captain Kori.” He expressed, “Continue sailing, my fellow captain! By offering your life for us, you honored us. With your bravery and determination to grin despite everything, you humbled and astounded us.”
In a black and white video posted on Instagram, Depp recounted the courage and resilience Kori displayed throughout his battle with a heart condition. The actor had previously nicknamed him “Captain Kori” during one of their video conversations facilitated by Make-A-Wish in December. Additionally, Depp had created a special video for Kori, which he shared on his YouTube channel, “Kraken The Box.”
Depp’s tribute concluded with a heartfelt promise: “Mate, you are a fighter… We’ll cross paths once more on the highest of oceans. To you and your family forever, all my love and respect, X JD.”
According to sources close to Depp, Make-A-Wish reached out to him in December when Kori was under hospice care. Depp, dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow, had sent his best wishes to Kori in a heartwarming video, declaring himself Kori’s biggest fan.
Kori had been an avid Jack Sparrow fan since his early years, watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies during his multiple heart surgeries and recoveries. Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital heart defect, Kori underwent heart transplants in 2018 and 2020, but both were rejected by his body.
Tragically, Kori passed away, leaving his family profoundly saddened. His mother, Pixi, shared an emotional video announcing his peaceful passing and revealed that Kori had his “captain’s hat beside his bed and he has a pirate flag over him” when he departed.
She expressed her gratitude to everyone who had supported Kori throughout his journey and asked people to remember him as someone who found joy and humility in life despite his challenges.
