The kids were so thrilled there was a line coming out the door to see the beloved pirate, according to DeAnn Marshall, vice president and chief marketing and communications officer for Children's Hospital L.A.
"I think a few of the kids were thinking that maybe he was actually here because he does look pretty realistic," said Colin Thomas, general manager of Madame Tussauds Hollywood.
It was a special surprise for the young patients, especially for young Linus who is excited about the upcoming release of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." His mom said Captain Jack Sparrow is his favorite movie character.
"He is a super fan. He tried to take the sword when he was up there," said Miriam Erberich, Linus' mother.
The kids gathered around in excitement, waiting for the chance to see the wax figure unveiled. They even got a chance to stand side-by-side with the pirate and get their picture taken.
For parents here, it was a welcome relief from an otherwise tough day.
"It shines light on coming to the hospital; it's so scary for kids so it kind of helps," said mother Billie Jackson. "It made his day so much better, especially for terminally ill kids like him."
Madame Tussauds Captain Jack Sparrow figure is embarking on a weeklong journey through Los Angeles. From now until the movie's opening day, May 20, Captain Jack will be visiting different iconic spots in L.A. You can find him at:
- Westfield Century City Mall on Friday, May 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Hollywood and Highland, Hot Topic Event on Saturday, May 14 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Gold Class Cinemas in Pasadena on Tuesday, May 17 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Santa Monica Place Rooftop on Wednesday, May 18 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Universal City Walk on Thursday, May 19 from 7 p.m. to midnight
You can also see the Captain Jack Sparrow wax figure at Maddam Tussauds in Hollywood starting May 18.
