After Taylor Swift visits children's hospital, her fandom donates tens of thousands to patients
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Taylor Swift visited Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Florida and befriended 7-year-old heart transplant recipient Majesty Williams.
Swift's visit brought joy to patients, families and staff, with one doctor calling her one of the kindest people she'd ever met.
Taylor Swift has a new best friend, Majesty Williams, and Swifties are raising funds for the lovable 7-year-old as well as other children the Eras Tour singer met during a recent hospital visit in Florida.
Swift visited Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital on June 13, going room-by-room to speak with patients and staff.
In a video posted to TikTok, Majesty combs her fingers through Swift's hair. Swift says, "You're so so sweet. She's my best friend."
"I like Taylor," the 7-year-old says as she wraps her arms around the singer-songwriter and nestles her head onto Swift's shoulder.
" She touched her hair to make sure Taylor was real," her mom, Shaneka Holloman, tells the USA TODAY Network.
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Majesty was born with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick and can block blood flow. At age 2, Majesty underwent a heart transplant.
"I don't know whose heart she has, but whoever it was, was full of love, because my baby girl is full of love," her mom says. "She is strong. Three days after the transplant, she was walking down the hallway."
Majesty meets Swift
On June 12, Holloman received a phone call from the hospital inviting her and her daughter to a function.
"They said it was a surprise, but they didn't say what," Holloman says. "They told me to make sure Majesty looks cute. I thought it was going to be a therapy dog."
That night, Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce went to Amerant Bank Arena for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The following morning Holloman pulled out Majesty's denim dress in their Deerfield Beach, Florida, home. She combed her daughter's hair back in a high ponytail and clasped her golden "M" necklace. Then the mom and daughter drove to the Hollywood, Florida, building.
At the hospital, Holloman — with her back to the door — watched her daughter mash Play-Doh.
"Then I hear my baby say, 'Taylor Swift,'" Holloman says. "I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. This is Taylor Swift, America's sweetheart."
The singer and the girl talked for 15 minutes. Like any best friend would, Majesty asked for Swift's phone number.
"She's been asking me if we got it, and I told her Taylor may call us one day," Holloman says. Swifties posted photos and videos of the hospital interactions on social media. Some influencers started fundraisers while others shared GoFundMe pages like Majesty's. She will have a heart condition her entire life.
Fans raised more than $11,000.
One for the books
One of the other rooms Swift visited belonged to 2-year-old Aaliyah. The author autographed an Eras Tour book for the little girl who had a brain tumor removed in September.
The book appeared on Mercari marketplace selling for $500, and Swifties swooped in. One fan purchased the book and told the Mortensen family to keep it. A GoFundMe was set up with a goal of $100,000. The fandom shared the page and donated $13 increments as a nod to Swift's favorite number raising more than $51,000.
"Having to pay for medical bills, traveling, food, rent, and utilities while still trying to make my baby girl feel at home away from home, things have been difficult," mom Crystal Mortensen wrote on the post. "Anything will be greatly appreciated. The journey has just begun and will be a tough one, but my warrior princess got this. She's so strong. She's a fighter."
Helping Zoe
A third patient, Zoe, has been battling neuroblastoma for almost seven years.
According to the GoFundMe that's amassed $18,000+, the brave 10-year-old girl "has faced countless treatments, hospital visits, surgeries and medical challenges with incredible strength. Her journey has been long and difficult, but she continues to inspire everyone around her with her courage and positive spirit."
The $100,000 goal would help the family with the financial burden of ongoing treatments.
Dr. Jill Whitehouse, the chief of surgery, posted a photo with Swift after her visit. Her caption read in part, "Undeniably one of the kindest human beings I have ever had the privilege of meeting. Thank you #taylorswift for making dreams come true for all of our patients, families, and staff today!"
Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.
Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
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