Inside Chadwick Boseman's Devastating Confession to His Brother About His Private Colon Cancer Diagnosis: 'It Was Time for Him to Go'
Chadwick Boseman died in 2020.
Aug. 27 2026, Published 2:28 p.m. ET
Chadwick Boseman fought a secret battle with colon cancer before passing away at 43.
Ahead of the sixth anniversary of the Marvel star's death, Breaking Celebrity News revisits the actor's emotional conversation with his brother, Derrick, about his diagnosis.
Chadwick Boseman's 'Thorn' in His 'Flesh'
Chadwick Boseman was diagnosed with cancer in 2016.
Chadwick was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, but chose to keep his health battle private – even to some members of his family.
"At first he didn’t tell me," his brother Derrick L. Boseman revealed in a resurfaced 2020 interview.
Derrick finally learned about the Black Panther actor's health struggles while discussing his career.
"I told him how blessed he was to be able to earn a living doing something that he loved to do because most people were doing what they had to do," he recalled. "And his response was, ‘Yeah, man, but I have a thorn in my flesh.’ That thorn was his cancer."
Chadwick Boseman Died at 43
Chadwick Boseman battled cancer for four years before his death.
Things got more difficult for Chadwick as the disease progressed and he began to shrink away from the public eye.
"I would be with him, and somebody would recognize him, and he would tell them that he wasn’t who he is – that he just looked like Chadwick Boseman," Derrick explained.
Chadwick passed away on August 28, 2020, after a four-year fight with cancer.
Chadwick Boseman's Final Words to His Brother
Chadwick Boseman seemingly made peace with his death.
His final words to Derrick let him know that he – at least somewhat – made peace with the end of his life coming at a young age.
"He said, ‘I’m in the fourth quarter, and I need you to get me out of the game,'" Derrick said. "So I understood what he was talking about – that it was time for him to go."
Chadwick Boseman Got Married Months Before He Died
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Chadwick Boseman married Taylor Simone Ledward in 2020.
Before his passing, Chadwick tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Taylor Simone Ledward to make sure that she was taken care of after he was gone, according to a source.
"He felt so lucky to have her," the source shared of their bond. "She was with him every step of the way and helped him keep his illness from the public."
"It wasn't the extravagant wedding he would've liked to have given her, but it was beautiful nevertheless," added the source.
As Radar previously reported, Ledward later bought mausoleum crypts for Chadwick's parents, Leroy and Carolyn, for $22,000 so that they could one day be buried next to their son.
Aside from his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as T'Challa AKA the Black Panther, Chadwick also had notable roles in films like Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Marshall, Get on Up, and 42. As for his work in television, he had guest appearances on many hit shows, such as Fringe, Justified, Castle, ER, Lie to Me, Cold Case, and more.
Throughout his career, he was publicly commended for his work, winning multiple awards, including a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy. He was also posthumously nominated for Best Actor in 2020.
