For fans who have organized the candle surprise, Padalecki says, 'I just want to say thank you, so much.It's stuff that I have dealt with and I'm still dealing with so it means so much to me.'
- Jul 13, 2015
AceShowbiz - Jared Padalecki had a touching moment with his fans during the "Supernatural" panel at Comic-Con on Sunday, July 12. At the the end of the panel, the audience of more than 7,000 fans surprised the actor by holding up candles to show support to his "Always Keep Fighting" campaign.
"I'm holding the candle in my pocket right now, I can't let go of it," Padelecki told E! News after the panel. "At first I didn't know what it is. I thought people were holding up their iPhones or something. And then someone handed me the note explaining it and I found out what was really going on. It took everything in my power not to cry."
For the fans who organized the candle surprise, the 32-year-old actor said, "I just want to say thank you, so much." He continued, "It's stuff that I have dealt with and I'm still dealing with so it means so much to me. I hope the fans feel support from me the way I feel support from them. I love them all very much. I really do. Fight for each other. Love each other. Always keep fighting." He also posted on Twitter a selfie which he took on stage.
View from stage. #ComicCon pic.twitter.com/aIy04Cf6ak
— Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) July 12, 2015Along with the candles that were passed out to the audience, there was a note which read, "Everyone is given a candle that burns just for them. When your flame flickers and you fear it will go out, know not seven the strongest wind lasts forever; and there are other lights to guide you even in the Darkness...And when your candle burns bright, you can ignite the hearts of others and hope will spread like wildfire..." The note also quoted Padalecki's ongoing campaign to fight against depression, "Always Keep Fighting, and you'll never fight alone."
"I'm so humbled. With the 'Always Keep Fighting' campaign, it feels a lot like it's grown into something bigger than I ever could have imagined," Padalecki added. "And it's the same with the show, and this character and guys I've been working with for 11 years now. It's so cool and so, so humbling. I feel like I'm the old guy here! I've been here for 11 years doing Comic-Con but it's such a cool experience. I mean, this is what I dreamed of as a kid. I am so, so humbled."
Padalecki's "Always Keep Fighting" campaign began in May when he struggled with serious depression causing the cancellation of his public appearance. The campaign is to help people struggling with depression, self-injury, addiction and suicide. He told Variety magazine, "I, for a long time, have been passionate about people dealing with mental illness and struggling with depression, or addiction, or having suicidal thoughts and, strangely enough, it's almost like the life I live, as well."
