Movies starring Chadwick Boseman 1:29
(CNN) - When Kian Westbrook, 7, learned that Chadwick Boseman, the actor who played his favorite superhero, had died, he immediately began to cry.
Kian has never met Boseman, nor is he familiar with the actor's work outside of the 2018 Marvel film "Black Panther." But he loved seeing a face that looks like his own saving the world on the big screen.
"He was a good role model for me and for black boys because he let me know that black boys can be heroes too," Kian told CNN. “When I found out that he had died, I felt very sad. I was crying and I couldn't stop talking about him.
Boseman died on Friday at the age of 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer. It was only after his death that the world discovered that the actor was shooting movies between surgeries and chemotherapy.
Overwhelmed by the urge to honor Boseman, Kian hosted a small funeral in his honor in front of his home in Florissant, Missouri, on Saturday, and all of his Avengers action figures were in attendance.
The young fan placed his Black Panther toy in a shoebox wrapped in black silk. Surrounding the box were flowers and a metal medal, as well as an Iron Man glove to honor another hero who died on screen.
Kian's father shared on Twitter a photo of the young fan standing behind the impromptu funeral and giving a "Forever Wakanda" salute in honor of Boseman. Since then, the tweet has garnered more than 530,000 likes.
It was beyond words. I was proud that he found a way to deal with the loss of his hero in a way that allowed him to understand the closure. But he's still having a hard time, ”King Westbrook, Kian's father, told CNN. “I never thought he would touch as many people as he did. If Kian's beautiful funeral can make people who suffer this terrible loss smile, that makes me proud as a parent.
Chadwick Boseman, "Black Panther" actor, dies 7:32With his role as T'Challa, or Black Panther, in the blockbuster film, Boseman became a global icon and an inspiring symbol of black power. Many young fans, like Kian, only knew Boseman as T'Challa, king and protector of the fictional African nation of Wakanda.
“Simply put, we have a lot of great black actors and a lot of great black men in America. Chadwick Boseman was the best of both worlds, ”said Westbrook. “There is absolutely nothing more important to me than my children, and I think Kian is so much better because he could see the kind and intelligent human being that Chadwick was. A great black man, a great American.
In addition to playing a Marvel superhero, Boseman made a career out of playing inspiring black figures like Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall.
«He taught me to fight and never give up. He taught the world to be kind and have a strong family, ”Kian said. “The funeral made me sad because he is not coming back and I miss him. But I'm happy because I have to do something nice for him.
Chadwick boseman