Jed Baker, 11, has endured more hardship in his short life than most of us go through in a lifetime. But for one special day, all the pain and suffering was forgotten – when he got to meet his biggest hero Captain Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp.
“I got to steer his boat The Black Pearl – just him and me,” beams chronically-ill Jed, who suffers from a rare and potentially fatal brain condition. “He’s really kind too, just like I knew he would be.”
Jed takes the wheel of The Black Pearl
Jed has been a Pirates of the Caribbean fanatic since he saw the second instalment, The Curse of the Black Pearl, during a long stay in hospital as a toddler.
So when mum Nicola discovered the fifth movie in the hit franchise, Dead Men Tell No Tales, would be shot in Queensland, she cheekily kicked off a campaign to have Jed finally meet his Hollywood hero.
“I never expected anything would come of it!” she says. “Johnny pledged he would make it happen – and true to his word he kept to his promise.”
Jed, his mum, dad Pete, and younger siblings Lucy, 3, and Charlie 6, were flown from hometown Ravenshoe to Brisbane for a day of swashbuckling royal treatment.
“Jed has his own version of the Black Pearl in our garden – along with dozens of miniature pirate ships – but nothing could beat the real thing!” says Nicola, 43.
Jed was presented with an authentic custom-made pirate suit – and according to mum Nicola, he strutted onto the movie set like he owned it.
“Then out of nowhere came this voice – ‘Is that Captain Jed?’ – It was Captain Jack Sparrow in full costume! “They chatted about what pirates I guess chat about – comparing notes about being attacked by an octopus with bad teeth!”
Nicola and her brave boy.
At the end of the best day of his life, Jed returned the favour with a gift of his own – a home-baked fruitcake, with lashings of rum of course.
“His assistant called to say he shared it with wife Amber and dad-in-law David all in one sitting!” says proud Nicola, one of the first brave rescuers on the scene of the recent Ravenshoe café explosion. Her good friend Nicole Dempsey later died from her injuries.
Nicola, however, is drawing strength from Jed’s beaming face – and the one special day she made his ultimate dream come true.
Back home Jed, who suffered a near fatal stroke in 2004 that left him intellectually impaired, is still sharing his high seas adventures with his schoolmates every chance he gets.
“They were a little jealous but also happy for me because they know how much I love being a pirate!,” says Jed. “I will never forget you Captain Jack and hope you always remember me as your number one First Mate – you will always be mine.”
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