Reggie Bannister, best known for playing heroic ice cream man Reggie in the Phantasm franchise, is in home hospice care

Ranking high on the list of the all-time greatest heroes in the horror genre is the badass ice cream man Reggie, who took on The Tall Man and the forces of evil in all five of the Phantasm films. Reggie was named after the actor who played him, Reggie Bannister – and some sad news about our hero has made its way online this morning. Bannister associate Russell GreWolf Mauck, who recently worked with Reggie and his wife Gigi Fast Elk Bannister on their fan fiction script-turned-novel Phantasm SurVIval (which is available for purchase on Amazon), has taken to social media to reveal that Reggie’s health has taken a turn for the worse and he will now be in home hospice care.

Mauck wrote, “My beloved Phantasm Phamily and Phriends. Most of you know, beloved Reggie Bannister was diagnosed with Dementia and Parkinson’s in June 2016. They were able to stabilize it for these many years. Last Wednesday, Feb 12, Reg collapsed. His condition had progressed to the next stage. He’s still cognitive, so that’s good, but his body is failing. Reggie and Gigi had planned ahead and made an advanced directive. As a result, Reggie will be going home from the V.A. soon, for home hospice care. There is no prognosis or time frame. It is his wish to be home and around family, in their little mountain cabin. He’s not suffering, and he’s happy to be going home. We do not know the length of time that they will have together, but are happy to have the time left. Please know how much Reggie and Gigi love their Phans, Phriends, and colleagues.“

Mauck added that fans are encouraged to “send your Thoughts, Prayers, and Positive Energy their way,” and provided a way for fans (or phans) to get in contact with the Bannisters: “Feel free to send your cards and letters to them both. PO Box 4387, Crestline Ca 92325.” So, if you have some kind words to send Reggie’s way while he’s in hospice care, please do.

In addition to playing the heroic Reggie in Phantasm, Phantasm II, Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead, Phantasm: OblIVion, and Phantasm: RaVager, Reggie Bannister has racked up more than fifty screen acting credits, including roles in the likes of Jim, the World’s Greatest; Kenny & Company, Survival Quest; Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation; The Demolitionist, Wishmaster, Bubba Ho-Tep, The Mangler Reborn, Cemetery Gates, Fallen Angels, The Rage, The Quiet Ones, The Ghastly Love of Johnny X, Bloody Bloody Bible Camp, and Bonejangles. He deserved to have an even bigger career than all of that, but he did well over the decades.

Reggie Bannister is a really cool guy and made his Phantasm character one of my favorite characters in cinema history, so it’s very troubling to hear that his health is failing him. My heart goes out to him and his loved ones, and I hope he’ll have many peaceful days at home ahead of him.