Eminem isn’t always the angry rapper who rips people on tracks … sometimes he’s the sweetheart who visits the home of a terminally ill fan … and doesn’t tell a soul about it.

The fan in question is 17-year-old Gage Garmo … who has been diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, and has been told he only has one week to live. Just three days ago, Gage’s friends and family started up the hashtag #GetGageGarmoToMeetEminem … in an effort to … well, it’s obvious.

And it worked. We’re told Em arranged for a home visit at Gage’s place in Michigan … which is only about 20 minutes from where Em lives.

We’re told Em was adamant he did not want the visit to become a media spectacle — and quietly arrived to Gage’s home around 5PM Sunday.

The two spent around an hour together — talking and hanging out. We’re told the whole thing meant a lot to Gage, who was in good spirits during the visit and after.

The Real Slim Shady … is just a big softy.