Victoria E. Freile

@vfreile

A Canandaigua man who legally changed his name to Darth Vader will be featured in a three-part documentary about terminal illness.

Vader, 44, who legally changed his name from Eric Welch in 2014, will be one of six people featured in My Last Days. The three-night series about six young adults who, despite medical challenges are determined to lead full, productive and inspiring lives, will air on the CW network (Channel 16) at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Vader is well known around the Rochester region for his love of fitness and his quirky personality. He is to be featured in Wednesday's episode, he said.

Vader has battled leukemia and a serious bone marrow disorder for 14 years. His chronic condition is manageable, he said, but will eventually require a bone marrow transplant. Since 2002, he completed 15 sessions of chemotherapy, most recently in 2008. He's stable for now and is on the Bone Marrow Transplant list at Seattle's VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Washington state.

Show producers found Vader on social media and reached out last year, he said. He's headed to Los Angeles Tuesday for the My Last Days premiere for cast and media. He will also appear on a local talk show while in California.

"It's humbling to be even considered out of thousands of people considered, to share my story with five other individuals who are facing terminal illnesses themselves, but are amazingly resilient with their fight," Vader said of the series. His portion of the show was filmed last year in Canandaigua and Andover, Allegany County.

Vader also copes with chronic and acute pain daily, the result of a broken leg more than two decades ago. After eight arthroscopic surgeries, bone removal and other complications, doctors told Vader that a below-the-knee amputation is his lone remaining option for relief and a better quality of life. The elective surgery has not taken place, as it is not covered by insurance, he said.

A former U.S. Marine, Vader owns and operates Allegiant Fitness, a small basement gym on Mill Street in Canandaigua and regularly dresses as the Sith Lord to attend events in the Rochester region.

An avid but slow runner, Vader is a weekend warrior who strives to run at least one weekly race, typically while donning a gas mask and carrying an American flag. To date, he has completed 54 Tough Mudder obstacle courses in a five year span. He will run his 26th half marathon of 2016 this weekend at the Turning Stone Resort in Oneida County.

Vader said that his bucket list of races keep his mind off his medical challenges and doctor's appointments.

VFREILE@Gannett.com

Canandaigua man changes his name to Darth Vader