Tom Cruise surprises fundraiser at fake interview

A man who has dedicated his life to raising money for children with life-limiting conditions was left stunned when Tom Cruise walked in during a fake interview.

Lloyd Kembrey, 30, from Bristol, travelled to London believing he was filming a documentary about fundraising, only to be surprised by the actor, who congratulated him on his extreme fundraising challenges.

Cruise said at the meeting, which was staged by the One Show: "I'm here to give you one big thank you. I've done a lot of wild things and stunts, but when I heard about [his] adventure, I just thought, I gotta meet this guy."

Kembrey, who raises money for charity Jessie May, added: "I couldn't believe it. I'm just really grateful."

The trusts' former CEO Daniel Cheesman described Kembrey as a "role model to all of the children and young people that Jessie May supports".

Kembrey, a facilities manager at the University of Bristol, started fundraising when he was six years old in honour of his late twin cousins, Francesca and Josephine, who were supported by the hospice charity after being diagnosed with a life-limiting condition.

During his latest endurance challenge, which included a 31‑mile (49.8km) ice‑skating ultramarathon in -14°C ((6.8F), climbing the height of Mount Everest on an indoor wall, and a 94‑mile (151km) trek along the Jurassic Coast, he raised almost £50,000.

As well as the surprise thank you, Kembrey was also invited to attend Cruise's premier of his latest film, The Digger.

"Tom Cruise is genuinely a really lovely guy, and it was actually him who suggested we get a selfie. I would have completely forgotten otherwise," Kembrey added.

Talking about his fundraising challenges, Kembrey added: "Some of [the challenges] pushed me to the edge, but you get that momentum going, and you think 'what's next?'

"One month we ice-skated 52km (32 miles) on a frozen lake, the next you're doing a triathlon."

In a video for The One Show, staff from The Jessie May Trust - where Kembrey is now an ambassador - paid tribute to his fundraising efforts.

"We see how your money helps every day while we're out supporting families," said Steve Wiltshire, who works a lead care nurse for the charity.

Cheesman added that everyone was grateful to Kembrey for his many years of support.

"I know how much the children and families mean to you and we just want to say one big thank you," he said.

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