Luke Combs may have brought out a whopping 63,000 fans out to Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, for Buckeye Country Superfest, but the more important accomplishment of the evening was making a dream come true for a 17-year-old girl.
According to Audacity, young Addison Conely (Addi), was diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of leukemia that, unfortunately in her case, is terminal.
Since the diagnosis, Addi has undergone a number of treatments including a bone marrow transplant as well as chemotherapy, but she’s also started scratching a number of things off her bucket.
And last night, Luke Combs helped her knock off a BIG one.
Her mother Staci shared this detailed post to Facebook:
“Tonight was literally the best night of our lives!
Over the last thirteen and a half months we have been faced with loosing our daughter more then anyone ever should have to even imagine, honestly don’t even try to imagine. The pain most days is unbearable. The heartache of watching your child fight a battle so hard and with everything they have has changed us. It has rocked us to our core.
We have become incessant in finding a cure for AML, for getting more funding for children, bringing awareness to the National blood shortage, having more options for clinical trials and everything else that comes with a Pediatric cancer diagnosis like our daughters. This is truly a journey I wish on no one.
You see our girl has a bucket list of all the things she wants to do and see. One of her wishes was to meet and go to a Luke Combs concert, where he would sing her favorite song. This week with the help of some pretty amazing people this happened. Our friend Aerica and her beautiful daughters reached out to everyone they knew to see if they could get the attention of Luke Combs or someone on his team to make this so far away dream a reality for our girl.
Well, earlier this week I got a text from Aerica that said we have an incredible man who works for Luke and he asked that you email him. I quickly told Chris and then Lisa but no one else. I didn’t know if this would be able to happen and we didn’t want to let Addi down if it didn’t.
As I quickly became fast friends with Clinton Brannen IV, I was blown away by his kindness and felt that it was a direct extension from Luke. He was working so hard with us, Addi’s Dr., and the rest of Luke’s team to make this happen for our girl.
In the middle of the week he did just that. He arranged for the trip of a lifetime. We now needed to tell the kids about this incredible trip planned and couldn’t wait to see the joy in their faces. They were all so happy.
We have a BIG family and we’re able to bring half of us out to see him and his incredible team. Say what? More then just Chris or I get to take Addi. We were so thankful and honestly speechless.”
Addi was bound for Columbus, Ohio:
“We arrived at the Columbus, Ohio airport on Friday afternoon where we were greeted by a driver named Dan who took us to our hotel and then said he would be taking us to and from the concert, and then back to the airport on Sunday morning. Again we are completely blown away by how everything has been taken care of, every last detail.
Friday night while getting ready for bed my best friend from the Navy Denise Blake knocked on the door. She drove 5 1/2 hours with her son Gabe to see us. This trip was becoming more then we could of ever expected. We are so thankful and completely blown away.
Saturday afternoon we were told to be ready by 5pm and would be meeting Dan to take us to the concert. We honestly had no idea what to expect. We brought a ton of #Teamaddi gear to share with everyone who had a hand in making this happen. When we arrived at the concert we were met by Ken who helped us get Addi to the back stage waiting area to relax and meet quite a bit of the crew.
Shortly after this we were told that Luke was coming to meet us. Another “say what” moment, we went outside and after chatting for a few minutes he took us to the back of the stage. He chatted with Addi and hung on her every word, talked about his beautiful wife, their brand new baby, his friend who had cancer twice once in the third grade and then again last year. How they all shaved their heads to stand with him and Addi talked about how all of her brothers, bf and friend’s did too on the same day she lost her hair.
He gave so much love as we listened and cried with their stories they were exchanging. This moment made time stand still. She was genuinely happy and so blown away by his kindness, honestly we all were.
After this he had arranged for us to be in a beautiful suite full of food, snacks, desserts and drinks to watch the performers. At 10:30 pm we were asked to meet his security detail so we could be taken back to the back stage area. When he asked Addi her favorite song he sung she said ‘Better Together’ that just happened to be his encore song.”
Addi’s moment on stage:
He then arranged to take our girl onto the stage and sing to her. He asked everyone to turn on their flashlights and to sing along to our girl and they did just that. It was so beautiful, we all watched while the tears streamed down our cheeks.
Tonight the world was right and there was no talk of Addi’s cancer, no talk of dying and no talk of not making it to her 18th birthday. Her smile says it all! Tonight was perfect.
God was here with us, we felt him! In the laughter, the warm air, the smiles and the soft hugs we were given all night long. Thank you Luke Combs and team for giving our girl the most perfect night.
We will share the video of them on stage together tomorrow once I receive it.”
Amazing… I got a lump the size of a grapefruit in my throat right now and I wasn’t even there.
She also included this shot of Addi and Luke on stage… just an incredible show of support from over 60,000 strong:
“They say a picture is worth a thousand words, crazy enough I can’t find any that would tell you how this moment made us feel!
Luke Combs you are a class act and have a heart of Gold that is seen in everyone who works with you and has the true honor to meet you.”
When Luke brought Addi out on stage, he asked the crowd to get their phones out and light that place up.
They obliged.
“This is my friend Addi that I met today and Addi’s going through some health things at the moment and I came across her on social media.
I had been tagged in a few things and her biggest wish was to come out and see a show. So, we flew Addi and her family out from California to be with us in Columbus tonight, and I want to give her the experience of what it really feels like to be up here in front of 60,000 people.
Addi’s favorite song is ‘Better Together,’ so I ‘m gonna ask you one favor. One, that you sing along so we can hear you and two, I want every single person in here to get their phone light out so we can see. I want her to see that tonight.
So, Addi this one goes out to you, your favorite song, one of my favorite songs. This is ‘Better Together,’ let’s do it.”
Stay classy Luke.
A GoFund Me has been set up for Addi’s continued medical care and expenses… feel free to drop a few bucks in the jar.
