Still from ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ | Source: NBC Universal

We talk about a lot of superheroes with super strength on this site, but one whose name you may not have heard before is Luke, a young double-lung transplant survivor who Joe Manganiello calls the toughest person he’s ever met.

Manganiello, known for his love of all things Dungeons & Dragons, met Luke at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where the actor started a D&D Club for patients. According to Manganiello, Luke was “like a fish in water” with the RPG and enjoys all things gaming. His mom credits board games and video games for helping Luke get through his various medical challenges, which have included a double-lung transplant and a small intestine transplant. Last year, the teen even participated in the Extra Life gaming fundraiser, raising more than $1,000 for the children’s hospital.

Over the holiday season, The Pop Insider teamed up with Manganiello and The Kelly Clarkson Show to surprise Luke during an appearance on the talk show, which reunited Luke and Manganiello via Skype. The Pop Insider made a donation of $5,000 in Luke’s name to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation.

To learn more about Luke and his story, check out the full clip from The Kelly Clarkson Show here!

About the author

Madeleine Buckley

Madeleine Buckley

Madeleine Buckley was a Senior Editor at The Pop Insider, The Toy Insider, and The Toy Book. She covered all things toys and fandom, and has appeared on Cheddar and a variety of regional news networks to talk about the latest trends in both. She is a movie score enthusiast, mediocre knitter, proud Syracuse alumna, and Marvel lover. You can usually find her at the movies or hanging out at home with her super-pup, Parker.

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