Little girl Scarlett, 9 years old, with a malignant brain tumor, was lucky enough to receive a hat from Taylor Swift right at The Eras Tour in Sydney, Australia. Previously, the girl’s stepmother said that the Make-a-Wish organization had granted her wish to meet Taylor Swift but could not fulfill it.
A young Perth girl battling terminal brain cancer has had the ultimate Taylor Swift concert experience, thanks to the generosity of strangers.
In a touching act at the first of her Sydney Eras shows, the US megastar made nine-year-old Scarlett’s dream come true by giving her a hug and her trademark black fedora as the youngster enjoyed the record-breaking show from the front row.
Video of the exchange taken during Swift’s performance of her song “22” at Accor Stadium went viral, amassing millions of views on social media.
Given only 12-18 months left to live, it had been Scarlett’s Make-A-Wish dream to meet Swift. That proved impossible, but a GofundMe page set up by Scarlett’s aunt managed to raise almost $70,000.
“For those that may share this that are not aware, Scarlett is battling an aggressive brain tumour and was granted a wish, but her wish to meet Taylor Swift was not possible through Make a Wish Foundation,” family member Paul Oliver wrote online.
Taylor Swift made a terminally ill nine-year-old girl’s dream come true on Friday. Pictured is Scarlett who has an aggressive brain cancer Credit: Facebook/Natalie Oliver/ Facebook/Natalie Oliver
Taylor Swift made a terminally ill nine-year-old girl’s dream come true on Friday. Pictured is Scarlett who has an aggressive brain cancer Credit: Facebook/Natalie Oliver/ Facebook/Natalie Oliver
“Through the power of social media and generous people, we are able to give Scarlett a chance to attend her concert. We are all so grateful.”
Scarlett had held a sign during the concert with the words: “Taylor, can I have the 22 hat?”.
She was eventually brought closer to the stage and the magic moment took place.
She has been diagnosed a grade four glioma — a highly aggressive and malignant tumour with no known cure — and will soon begin radiation therapy alongside chemotherapy.
The show on Friday had been delayed by wild weather, with heavy rainfall, thunder and lightning prompting warnings and causing the lower part of Accor Stadium to be evacuated.
Fans were allowed back into the stadium when weather conditions eased at 7pm.
The rain delay meant opening act Sabrina Carpenter was taken off the bill, though Swift later brought her on stage for a joint mash-up of White Horse from the album Fearless and Coney Island from Evermore.
And there were plenty of other famous faces in the concert crowd, with Katy Perry and Rita Ora taking the opportunity to enjoy the show.
Katy Perry and Rita Ora attend Taylor Swift’s Sydney concert. Along with Travis Kelce and Taika Waititi Credit: instagram/supplied
Swift’s boyfriend, American football star Travis Kelce, was also there with film director Baz Luhrmann, and was recognised and cheered by the adoring crowd before flying back to Las Vegas on a private jet on Saturday to continue Super Bowl celebrations with his team, the Kansas City Chiefs.
The two were reportedly staying at the high-end hotel Crown Towers in a suite that can cost more than $25,000 a night.
Anthony Albanese attended Friday night’s show after rejecting a request from a desperate ticket-less fan to give up his spot.
And former PM Scott Morrison shared a snap of himself at the concert dressed in pink, alongside his wife Jenny and daughters, Lily and Abbey.
Scott Morrison at Taylor Swift Sydney concert Credit: facebook/supplied
Ticket prices for the sell-out four-concert run ranged from $79.90 for the cheap seats up to dance-floor tickets for $380, and $1249 for the top VIP packages.
After Sydney, Swift will play six nights in Singapore before she takes a near two-month break.
The Eras Tour, which started in March last year and is due to end in December, will then move on to Europe.
Expected to make $27 million for each of her seven Australian shows, Eras is officially the world/s best-selling concert tour ever and the first to surpass $1 billion in ticket sales.