Comedian and Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens died Sunday after suffering a six-year battle with cancer. He had previously helped his own terminally ill legendary fighter pilot father who battled cancer until he died in 2004.

While growing up in a Jewish family and born with the name of Paul Rubenfeld, Reubens said he had heard stories about his father, Milton Rubenfeld's heroic record as a fighter pilot in World World II but always thought they were just "fish stories." He later learned more about his father's story as a top-gun pilot for the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II and then later a top pilot in the Israeli Air Force fighting in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, helping secure Israel's independence.

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The Rubenfeld family story was featured in the 2014 documentary Above and Beyond, produced by Nancy Spielberg, the youngest sister of Steven Spielberg. The documentary showed an extensive interview with Reubens and his mother, Judy Rubenfeld, describing the historic story of his father.

Reubens said he didn't "have any real perspective" on the magnitude of what his father had done in the war effort until he had read the book On Eagles' Wings by Ezer Weizman, which mentions his father by name.

"All of the sudden, all of these stories I had heard my whole life were in this book," Reubens said of his father. "Once I realized he did all of those things and they weren't things that everyone else did also — I just had a completely different view of him."

The actor shared how he was honored when his father gently asked if he could come to his first movie premiere of Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.

"Dad, I created this thing. You gotta come," Reubens remembered telling his father.

The Pee-wee Herman actor shared how he enjoyed seeing his parents get out of the car at his movie premiere, and his gregarious father began signing autographs himself, bragging how he was the proud father of Reubens.

Reubens was inspired by the entertainment world through Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus and television shows including I Love Lucy. He moved to California to attend acting school and began performing in the Los Angeles-based improvisational comedy team The Groundlings. His character Pee-wee Herman developed from a comedy sketch at the Groundlings and became an iconic performer with his hit children's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse and his movies, including Pee-wee's Big Adventure.

When he passed on Monday, his family released a statement on his social media, saying that the 70-year-old actor "delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness."

Reubens starred in several films throughout his career, including Batman Returns, The Blues Brothers, Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, Blow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Mystery Men.

Many celebrities mourned the loss of the comedian on Monday.

Actress E.G. Daily, who played Dottie in Pee-wee's Big Adventure, remembered Reubens was "a gentle spirit" and a thoughtful friend.

"My heart hurts too much. I love you so much my dear friend of a lifetime," actress Kristy Swanson, who starred in Buffy the Vampire Slayer with him, wrote on social media.

"I love you Paul. You were the best friend a boy could ever wish for!" actor David Arquette said.

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"No tweet can capture the magic, generosity, artistry, and devout silliness of Paul Reubens. Everyone I know received countless nonsensical memes from Paul on their birthday, and I mean EVERYONE. His surreal comedy and unrelenting kindness were a gift to us all. Damn, this hurts," comedian Conan O'Brien wrote.

The actor's social media post asked that fans who wish to honor his memory and his parents donate to Stand Up to Cancer and organizations involved in dementia and Alzheimer’s care, research, and support.