Cancer Victim Kylie Myers Keeps Broadway Smiley on Times Square Billboard

Kylie Myers, a 12-year-old aspiring actress form Georgia, was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, on April 9, 2014. Since then, Broadway stars, companies, and thousands of people around the world quickly adopted her. Hundreds of actors and crewmembers from almost every 2014 Broadway musical showered Kylie with photos and videos of support. Ensemble members and stars alike were moved by Kylie's courage, positive spirit and resilience throughout her difficult battle.

The Georgia Make-A-Wish Foundation granted Kylie's wish to travel to NYC with her parents and three older sisters to see ALADDIN and several other Broadway shows. ALADDIN even promised Kylie a walk-on role on February 12th. Kylie developed a particularly strong relationship with Courtney Reed, who stars as Princess Jasmine, after sending Courtney a letter and drawing last year. The entire cast of ALADDIN adopted Kylie in return, sending her many photos and videos over the following months.

In January, the outlook for Kylie appeared very positive. Doctors could find no sign of any remaining cancer.

The Myers family received their tickets to NYC on Sunday, February 8, but Kylie wasn't feeling very well. On February 10, they cancelled their trip. Kylie died at home with her family by her side on Friday, February 13 - one day after her planned Broadway debut.

Kylie asked her family to promise her two things: take care of her kitten Eliza, and kill childhood cancer so that no other child has to die. They've promised, to the best of their abilities, to do both.

And even though she had to miss her walk-on Broadway role, Kylie still made her Broadway debut this week on a billboard in Times Square. Back in November, theTruth365 filmed a childhood cancer awareness Public Service Announcement featuring Kylie. It premiered on the largest billboard in Times Square on Wednesday, April 22. The video is scheduled to run four times per hour again this evening between 7:00 and 9:00pm.

The Myers family decided to go to Broadway this week for the unveiling of Kylie's video. The five of them will fill their visit with six Broadway shows: ON THE TOWN, ALADDIN, A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, THE LION KING, MATILDA, and SOMETHING ROTTEN.

Yesterday, Mikey Winslow and the cast of ON THE TOWN made the Myer's visit to the matinee performance very special. Not only were they given a backstage tour, but during a nightclub scene, the emcee on stage welcomed the Myers family and said "Kylie will always be in our hearts."

Broadway has truly loved Kylie, and she has kept them "smiley." Her well-wishers included Idina Menzel, Kristen Chenoweth, cast members from ALADDIN, NEWSIES, Laird Mackintosh of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY, Judine Somerville of HAIRSPRAY, MAMMA MIA!, THE BOOK OF MORMON, Jake Odmark and cast members from KINKY BOOTS, ANNIE, MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, PIPPIN, THE LION KING, VIOLET, Taylor Louderman of BRING IT ON, Tituss Burgess, Carly Hughes from BEAUTIFUL, Steve Blanchard of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, CABARET, Arbender Robinson and Will Swenson of LES MIS, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Andrea Rivette & Kelli O'Hara, IF/THEN, ROCKY, Jodi Benson of CRAZY FOR YOU, Laura Osnes, WICKED second national tour, JERSEY BOYS, James Iglehart, ELF THE MUSICAL national tour, Ginna Claire Mason, Megan McGinnis and many more.

For more information about Smiley for Kylie, check out the Facebook page.

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