Note: This story was first published in 2009.

To see family photos of Colby Curtin click here.

To see a video of Colby Curtin that she made with a friend click here.

HUNTINGTON BEACH – Colby Curtin, a 10-year-old with a rare form of cancer, was staying alive for one thing – a movie.

From the minute Colby saw the previews to the Disney-Pixar movie Up, she was desperate to see it. Colby had been diagnosed with vascular cancer about three years ago, said her mother, Lisa Curtin, and at the beginning of this month it became apparent that she would die soon and was too ill to be moved to a theater to see the film.

After a family friend made frantic calls to Pixar to help grant Colby her dying wish, Pixar came to the rescue.

The company flew an employee with a DVD of Up, which is only in theaters, to the Curtins’ Huntington Beach home on June 10 for a private viewing of the movie.

The animated movie begins with scenes showing the evolution of a relationship between a husband and wife. After losing his wife in old age, the now grumpy man deals with his loss by attaching thousands of balloons to his house, flying into the sky, and going on an adventure with a little boy.

Colby died about seven hours after seeing the film.

With her daughter’s vigil planned for Friday, Lisa Curtin reflected about how grateful she is that Pixar – and “Up” – were a part of her only child’s last day.

“When I watched it, I had really no idea about the content of the theme of the movie,” said Curtin, 46. “I just know that word ‘Up’ and all of the balloons and I swear to you, for me it meant that (Colby) was going to go up. Up to heaven.”

Colby Curtin at Pet Co.'s hamster races last year.

Colby Curtin at the Orange County Fair last year.

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Colby Curtin at the Orange County Fair last year.

Colby Curtin at the Orange County Fair last year.

Colby Curtin at the Orange County Fair last year.



Colby and Lisa Curtin in July 2008.

Colby Curtin at Christmas Eve last year.

Colby Curtin made this picture for her mom Lisa Curtin for Christmas 2007.

Colby and Lisa Curtin with Colby's friend Ponette Moore.

Colby Curtin wanted to see the new Pixar movie Up before she died.



The employee from Pixar had a bag of stuffed animals of characters in the movie and a movie poster.

The animated movie begins with scenes showing the evolution of a relationship between a husband and wife. After losing his wife in old age, the now grumpy man deals with his loss by attaching thousands of balloons to his house, flying into the sky, and going on an adventure with a little boy.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church was packed with friends and family who wore hawaiian attire in honor of Colby Curtin, 10. The popular youngster's last wish was to see the Pixar movie Up. Pixar made it a reality.

Lisa Curtin of Huntington Beach, prays for her daughter Colby, 10, (pictured right). The mom placed a lei around her daughter's image and gave her a kiss at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church.

Mike Curtin, left, remembers his daughter Colby,10, during her favorite song "Jesus, Take the Wheel" sung by Carrie Underwood. The singer gave Colby words of encouragement over the phone. Friends and family dressed in hawaiian attire to honor her heritage.



Mike Curtin and Lisa Curtin leave Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church after their daughter's memorial. Colby Curtin, 10, was diagnosed with vascular cancer three years ago. The Newport Beach church was packed with family and friends who remembered the popular youngster.

Mike Curtin, center, holds the ashes of his daughter Colby, 10, during the procession at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church. Colby's mom, Lisa Curtin, is by his side. The Newport Beach church was packed with family and friends who remembered the popular youngster.

Deacon Steve Mutz of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church watches a youngster who had a difficult time talking about her friend Colby Curtain. He later consoled the girl who wanted to share her memories of Curtain who died of vascular cancer.

Lisa Curtin of Huntington Beach, kisses her godchild Pierce Reynoso, 3 of Newport Beach, at her daughter's memorial held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church. She had a warm smile and hug to all who entered the Newport Beach church.

Lisa Curtin of Huntington Beach, gives a tender kiss to her daughter Colby, 10, after placing a lei around her image at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church. The Newport Beach church was packed with family and friends who remembered the popular youngster for her positive spirit and making others laugh.



Colby Curtin said she did not want to die until she saw the new Disney-Pixar movie Up.

Pixar officials declined to comment on the story or name the employees involved.

THE PREVIEWS

Colby was diagnosed with vascular cancer on Dec. 23, 2005 after doctors found a tumor in her liver. At the time of her death, her stomach was about 94 inches around, swollen with fluids the cancer wouldn’t let her body properly digest. The rest of her body probably weighed about 45 pounds, family friend Carole Lynch said.

Colby had gone to Newport Elementary School and was known for making others laugh, family friend Terrell Orum-Moore said. Colby loved to dance, sing, swim and seemed to have a more mature understanding of the world than other children her age, Orum-Moore said.

On April 28, Colby went to see the Dream Works 3-D movie “Monsters Vs. Aliens” but was impressed by the previews to “Up.”

“It was from then on, she said, ‘I have to see that movie. It is so cool,’” Lynch said.

Colby was a movie fan, Lisa Curtin said, and she latched onto Pixar’s movies because she loved animals.

Two days later Colby’s health began to worsen. On June 4 her mother asked a hospice company to bring a wheelchair for Colby so she could visit a theater to see “Up.” However, the weekend went by and the wheelchair was not delivered, Lisa Curtin said.

By June 9, Colby could no longer be transported to a theater and her family feared she would die without having seen the movie.

At that point, Orum-Moore, who desperately wanted Colby to get her last wish, began to cold-call Pixarand Disney to see if someone could help.

Pixar has an automated telephone answering system, Orum-Moore said, and unless she had a name of a specific person she wanted to speak to, she could not get through. Orum-Moore guessed a name and the computer system transferred her to someone who could help, she said.

Pixar officials listened to Colby’s story and agreed to send someone to Colby’s house the next day with a DVD of “Up,” Orum-Moore recalled.

She immediately called Lisa Curtin, who told Colby.

“Do you think you can hang on?” Colby’s mother said.

“I’m ready (to die), but I’m going to wait for the movie,” the girl replied.

THE MOVIE

At about 12:30 p.m. the Pixar employee came to the Curtins’ home with the DVD.

He had a bag of stuffed animals of characters in the movie and a movie poster. He shared some quirky background details of the movie and the group settled in to watch Up.

Colby couldn’t see the screen because the pain kept her eyes closed so her mother gave her a play-by-play of the film.

At the end of the film, the mother asked if her daughter enjoyed the movie and Colby nodded yes, Lisa Curtin said.

The employee left after the movie, taking the DVD with him, Lynch said.

“He couldn’t have been nicer,” said Lynch who watched the movie with the family. “His eyes were just welled up.”

After the movie, Colby’s dad, Michael Curtin, who is divorced from Lisa Curtin, came to visit.

Colby died with her mom and dad nearby at 9:20 p.m.

Among the Up memorabilia the employee gave Colby was an “adventure book” – a scrap book the main character’s wife used to chronicle her journeys.

“I’ll have to fill those adventures in for her,” Lisa Curtin said.

To read about Colby Curtin’s Friday night vigil click here.

To find out how readers worldwide are responding to Colby Curtin’s stoy click here.

Contact the writer: aburris@ocregister.com or 949-553-2905