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Image: Instagram.com/chadwickboseman

It has been over a month since the tragic passing of Hollywood star Chadwick Boseman who graced our screens playing icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before gaining a global fanbase starring as Black Panther in Marvel's blockbuster movie franchise.  Boseman was 43 when he passed away after a four-year battle with colon cancer.  It was clear Boseman was not just playing a superhero on screen—he was a hero to us all IRL, too.

To honor the life and legacy of the gifted performer, Disney unveiled "King Chad"—a touching mural created by artist and former Disney Imagineer Nikkolas Smith in Downtown Disney District this past Thursday.

The vibrant mural shows the beloved Hollywood star dressed as Black Panther, sharing an endearing moment with a young cancer patient, as they cross their hands to signal the "Wakanda Forever" salute. Boseman had previously visited  St. Jude Children's Research Hospital located in Tennessee in 2018 while privately battling cancer himself.

Image: Instagram.com/disneyland

Disney unveils its mural dedicated to Chadwick Boseman in Downtown Disney 👑pic.twitter.com/Y9yGupPUCf

— Culture Crave 🎥 (@CultureCrave) September 24, 2020

Smith shared his sentiment in a recent Instagram post stating, "This one is special. My King Chad tribute is now on a wall on display at Downtown Disney. 🐾 It is a full circle moment for me: my final two projects as a Disney Imagineer last summer were working on the Children’s Hospital project and the Avengers Campus.

To millions of kids, T'Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman. I'm so thankful to be able to honor Chadwick's life and purpose in this way. I am grateful to the Disney family for being so supportive of my journey as an artist."

 

 

 

 

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This one is special. My King Chad tribute is now on a wall on display at Downtown Disney. 🐾 It is a full circle moment for me: my final two projects as a Disney Imagineer last summer were working on the Children’s Hospital project and the Avengers Campus. To millions of kids, T'Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman. I'm so thankful to be able to honor Chadwick's life and purpose in this way. I am grateful to the Disney family for being so supportive of my journey as an artist. @waltdisneyimagineering @disney @marvelstudios @disneyland 🐾✨ #LongLiveTheKing #KingChad #WakandaForever #Phambili #DowntownDisney #BlackPanther #ChadwickBoseman #RIPChadwick #WDI

A post shared by Nikkolas Smith (@nikkolas_smith) on Sep 24, 2020 at 10:01am PDT

Individual prints of "King Chad" can be purchased on Smith's website with a portion of the proceeds being donated to St. Jude and Children's Hospital L.A. in Boseman's memory.

The mural is the most recent nod from Disney to honor the star, following the ABC tribute special that aired "Black Panther" commercial-free following his passing. 

A heartwarming salute for a rising angel whose spirit will live on for generations to come.

via GIPHY

by Samantha Dorisca | 9/30/2020