Luke Bryan invites child with terminal cancer backstage. See photos of sweet moment
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Country superstar Luke Bryan granted the wish of a little girl before his concert in Denver on July 29.
Mary Stegmueller, a 7-year-old girl who says she’s Bryan’s “No. 1 fan,” was able to attend the singer’s concert on Saturday with a little help from some generous folks.
Mary has a rare, and terminal, brain cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (or DIPG), which she was diagnosed with in October 2020 when she was 4, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer says.
Tumors from DIPG are found in the part of the brainstem that controls heart rate and breathing, and they are hard to treat, according to Boston Children’s Hospital.
She was given only weeks to live after receiving the diagnosis and has been part of a CAR-T cell trial at Stanford University, the National Catholic Register reported.
Bryan saw a story on Mary who had been hoping to attend the concert and have a moment with him according to KDVR. The “Play It Again” singer then invited her and her family backstage.
“Now she feels they’re BFFs,” her mother, Kristin Stegmueller, told KDVR. “And she’s like ‘I want to see him, but he also needs to come see me.’ So, she’s also hoping to see him up close and personal just because he’s made her so happy.”
Her family wrote that the entire night was a dream come true for Mary, who was given a private suite with the help of an anonymous donor found by Gold Crown Foundation, a youth sports organization started by former Denver Nuggets player Bill Hanzlik, the National Catholic Register reported.
“Last night was a dream for Mary- limo ride to the concert, private suite with friends and family, meeting not only Tyler Braden but getting to go back stage and meet Luke Bryan- they chat, he sang to her, she danced and he gave her a kiss. She had the best time. She is tired but so worth it,” her mom wrote on Caring Bridge.
Mary starts her 43rd round of radiation on July 31, according to KDVR.
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