09 November 2023 , 23:38
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Classy Ryan Reynolds reached out personally to help Wrexham defender Anthony Forde and his family cope with a serious cancer diagnosis.
Midway through last season, Forde's wife Laura was diagnosed with a brain tumour and Hollywood actor Reynolds did his part to help the family. The 'Deadpool' star personally got in touch with the Forde family and helped Laura get a second opinion regarding the tumour.
"It just didn't feel like it was real," Anthony said in the latest episode of Welcome to Wrexham. "The gaffer told the owners about the news and they reached out. Ryan helped get a second opinion. It's something that he doesn't have to do, he doesn't have to do that."
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After that second opinion, the family revealed in the episode that it was the "best case scenario" for Laura, though they declined to delve into details. The family explained they were at a loss how to feel after initially being told the scenario was a "worst case" one.
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For Anthony, the positive news inspired a stellar performance as he scored the first goal in a game against Yeovil Town to give Wrexham a 1-0 lead. Wrexham eventually went on to win 3-0, with James Jones and Paul Mullin adding goals.
Anthony Forde celebrates scoring against Yeovil (Getty Images)"Fordie, brilliant," Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said to the team in the locker room. "For me, I don't like singling people out but today in 90 minutes, having not played for so long, f-----g everything you've been through. Fordie, you're tremendous. So keen. You got your goal, mate. You f-----g deserved it. You really did."
For Reynolds, he and co-owner Rob McElhenney have been incredibly invested in Wrexham's success, often flying to Wales to watch matches and speak to the players despite living in the United States. When Wrexham Women's star Rosie Hughes scored her 100th goal in just 31 games, Reynolds took the time to acknowledge Hughes' impressive feat.
Still, the endeavor of owning a professional football club is not a cheap venture by any means. Early in the aforementioned episode, Reynolds and McElhenney revealed the club was $28,128,444 (£23,008,951.87) in the red.
And despite Reynolds' superstar status and his hefty business portfolio, his net worth still is relatively small compared to other club owners. Still, the duo said the main goal of owning Wrexham was to help the club get promoted and make a positive impact on the community as a whole. And so far, they have been doing what they can to achieve those goals.