In fact, Reeves continued to give money to research in the years after Kim was cured, and he ended up creating his own cancer fund.
There is a reason Keanu Reeves is hailed as a kind and genuinely nice guy of Hollywood. Time and again, he has proved through his actions that he is generous and charitable. Career-wise, he's carved a name for himself with his work, but he is most famously known as Neo from The Matrix series.
The stories from his personal life are rife with the losses of loved ones and the grief that came with these. One such incident is from the year 1991 when his sister Kim was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of blood cancer. She battled the deadly condition for 10 years before entering remission in 2001, according to New York Post.
It is evident that it is deeply personal for him when he wants to do something to help others who are suffering. Reeves donated $31.5 million to fund leukemia research—which is 70 percent of his income from the 1999 sci-fi movie. He was reportedly paid $10 million upfront, before earning a further $35 million when the movie became a box office blockbuster.
He once spoke about his sister and her diagnosis, according to a Woman's Day report. "I love Kim. She's so brave, and I want the very best for her. You can star in hit movies, but that's nothing compared to going through what Kim's been through."
Kim herself was grateful for the love and support her brother showered her with, through her journey. "Keanu helped me so much through my illness. When the pain got really bad, he would sit with me and hold my hand, and keep the 'bad man' from making me dance. He was supporting me and comforting me all the time, even when he was away," she said.
In fact, Reeves continued to give money to research in the years after Kim was cured, and he ended up creating his own cancer fund. The Speed star secretly set up the nonprofit, which reportedly ran for years without any attention.
“I have a private foundation that’s been running for five or six years, and it helps aid a couple of children’s hospitals and cancer research,” Reeves is quoted as telling Ladies Home Journal in 2009, cites Indy100. “I don’t like to attach my name to it, I just let the foundation do what it does.”
As for work, Reeves says he wanted to get as much as possible done in the last decade or so, "before that turning tape runs out," per Guardian.
When asked if he has been trying to slow the turning of time by working so regularly and relentlessly, Reeves said, “It doesn’t slow downtime. It doesn’t slow downtime. It doesn’t slow downtime.” He let out a sigh, and said, “If anything, it speeds everything up.”
References:
https://nypost.com/2022/01/03/keanu-reeves-donated-70-of-his-matrix-salary/
http://www.whoaisnotme.net/articles/1999_0412_kea.htm
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Frederick M. Brown
