Families talk about Taylor Swift after her surprise visit to Children’s Mercy

Families talk about Taylor Swift after her surprise visit to Children’s Mercy

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Every sighting of Taylor Swift attracts national attention.

Fresh off her record-breaking, highest-grossing tour of all time and on the eve of her 35th birthday, Taylor Swift made more headlines when she surprised patients at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

Liz Jouppi said Swift’s visit with her two-year-old daughter Millie was like a dream.

“I turned around and she was standing right in the doorway and I was like, ‘Wow, this is happening,'” Jouppi said.

Liz Jouppi

Provided

Liz Jouppi and her two-year-old daughter Millie take a photo with Taylor Swift.

Millie and her entire family have been at Children’s Mercy Hospital since August. Millie is on the waiting list for a heart transplant. Jouppi said it had been challenging months.

“Millie contracted a really bad viral infection in August and we had to be flown here from Wichita,” Jouppi said. “She suffered from multi-organ failure. She was very, very sick and it mainly affected her heart, but she suffered from kidney failure and liver failure. Her left lung collapsed and she had multiple brain bleeds.”

That’s why meeting Taylor Swift was a moment out of her wildest dreams. Swift took a photo with them and gave them a signed copy of her “The Eras Tour Book.”

Liz Jouppi

KSHB 41 News Staff

Liz Jouppi shows the Eras Tour Book she received from Taylor Swift.

Jouppi and Millie were also able to show Swift a surprise: there is a friendship bracelet with her own name on it in Millie’s hospital room!

“She just came down and chatted with Millie,” Jouppi said. “She was just really sweet and really nice.”

Swift’s visit was also the best day for 11-year-old Baylee Nuzum and her mother Melissa.

“She’s definitely down to earth, she’s caring, she’s compassionate,” Melissa said. “I mean, we were able to have real conversations with her.”

Baylee and Melissa Nuzum

KSHB 41 News Staff

Baylee and Melissa Nuzum.

Baylee suffers from an autoimmune disease and was evaluated at Children’s Mercy Hospital for chronic stomach pain.

She said meeting Swift provided some relief.

“I was just in so much pain and then when I saw her everything stopped and froze,” Baylee said. “Then all I thought about was meeting one of my top idols.”

Despite all the difficulties, both families are grateful for this superstar moment.

KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding health care costs, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *