WICHITA, Kansas – A Wichita man who was granted a special advance showing of “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” has died.

Joe Leiker was a life-long Star Wars beginning at age six. He got to see the film on November 19th, a month before it premiered.

“We took him to see it at six years old, he got hooked on it, we’ve even liked it ever since,” said Judy Walker, Joe’s mother.

Walker said at a young age, her son insisted that other family members call him Luke Skywalker.

Much like the Jedi knight in the films, Leiker has also had to overcome his own obstacles.

“We found out he had a brain tumor almost one year ago, January 9th, we found out, this is his second brain tumor, he had one 20 years ago and overcame that,” said Walker.

When director J.J. Abrams learned of Leiker’s condition, he made special arrangements to preview the film in Leiker’s Wichita home. Leiker died Friday, Jan. 15th.