Lying in a bed at Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital on Tuesday, Kia Lettice had one final wish – a visit from either of her favourite football stars Beau Ryan or Greg Inglis

Friend Mahalia Murphy, an Australian Rugby Sevens player, posted the urgent request on her Facebook page around 8pm calling for help to “boost her friend” who did not have long to live.

That post was shared more than 700 times and seen by thousands.

“Leaving Shellharbour now! See you in 2 hrs,” Beau Ryan replied in less than an hour.

“Tell her to stay strong.”

The 31-year-old dropped everything to be by her bedside and give that much needed boost of joy, something that has been applauded by thousands.

By 10pm, Murphy had posted to Facebook: “Thanks to everyone for making this special moment happen. Beau Ryan you are a true legend man. Can’t thank you enough for this moment”.

The smile on Kia’s face in the picture says it all. 

“The energy she gained from his presence was amazing,” Murphy said.

Photos of the priceless moment reposted nationwide with comments like “legend”, “hero” and “champion”.

Ryan was humbled by the attention his kind act received and asked the attention to be turned towards Kia,

“She is a beautiful girl with a beautiful family … it’s devastating,” the Footy Show host told the Illawarra Mercury.

“The very least I could do was visit her. If you get a moment pray for her please.”

Ryan and Murphy’s star power has seen an outpouring of messages of support for Kia, who was still fighting her illness late into Wednesday afternoon.

“What an impact a small gesture can make in one persons life well done Beau now if only the rest of us can remember this, a smile, a thank you a helping hand to a stranger can make someone's day,” posted Jo Williams on Ryan’s Facebook page.

“Humans doing anything they can to help out another, a truly remarkable thing,” wrote Kerene Bienke.

The latest plea from Murphy was for donations to help Kia’s family with the financial burden the illness has caused, with nearly $6000 raised in three hours of the creation of the Go Fund Me campaign.

Ryan began his NRL career with the Wests Tigers in 2007 and played over 100 first grade games before moving to the Cronulla Sharks in 2013. He retired in the middle of 2014 due to injuries. 

He began making appearances on Channel Nine's The Footy Show in 2009 and has become a full-time host of the program.