Fun Fact #219 Katie Johnson

 Fun Fact #219

Katie Johnson

In 2004 a man named Albin Johnson was looking for a way to comfort his daughter Katie after she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. To do this he’d team up with “The R2-D2 Builders Club'' to create an astromech to watch over his daughter Katie like her favorite character Padame from Star Wars. Once R2-KT was made it would be by Katie's side until she died.  

Yet, that wasn’t the end of the story as advocate groups for Children’s care found that the robot would excite children, leading to the remote controlled robot making appearances across the US, as well as the creation of a sister robot QT-KT.  It would even be brought into star wars Canon in 2007 and seeing the effect robotics could have on children, would spark the idea for Lucas Film’s charity “Force For Change”. To date, the two droids have raised millions for charity.

As for Aldin, while he’s never officially commented on it, he advertises the droid visits to hospitals as a way to honor his Daughter’s memory. 

Image from Starwars.fandom.com