Thanks to a simple Facebook post, 9-year-old Fallon Emery got her meet her music crush, Hunter Hayes, on Sunday. But this wasn’t an ordinary fan meet-and-greet: Fallon, of Carolina Forest, S.C., has terminal brain cancer.
In December 2013, Fallon was diagnosed with a stage 4 glioblastoma multiforme type tumor. Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina removed about 85 percent of the tumor, but doctors found she also had characteristics of anaplastic astrocytoma, grade 3. Both diagnoses are terminal.
Although doctors initially gave her 14 months to live, Fallon has surpassed that, surviving 33 radiation treatments and weekly chemotherapy that doctors hope will finish sometime in December of this year.
“After her surgery, she had such bad side effects that she couldn’t walk,” Fallon’s mother, Melanie Emery, told FoxNews.com. Fallon underwent physical therapy and was told if she didn’t start walking before chemotherapy started, she probably wouldn’t walk again. “I’m gonna tell you, they were wrong! She told them, ‘I will walk again,’ and she is. If you saw her on the street, you would not even think she’s sick.”
Fallon learned her music crush, Hunter Hayes, was coming to the Carolina Country Music Fest in nearby Myrtle Beach and was disappointed she couldn’t attend because she’s immunocompromised. On the evening of Tuesday, June 2, her mom posted on the Fierce Fallon Facebook community wall and asked if any of their many followers would be able to help Fallon meet Hayes. Within 10 minutes, she received multiple calls and texts from friends offering to help. Melanie connected with someone at the music festival’s production company, who offered to make Fallon’s meeting happen.
On Sunday morning, a day and a half after her most recent chemo treatment, Fallon met Hayes at the music festival. For about 10 minutes, they chatted and goofed around, Melanie said.
“It was amazing for her,” she said. “He is truly one of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever met.”
Fallon wasn’t able to stay for his evening performance because her head started hurting and her legs were aching, but she left with a Hayes-signed “Fierce Fallon” T-shirt and gave him a “Fierce Fallon” bracelet that he immediately put on.
“I have not seen her smile like that in a very long time,” her mother said.
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