Blake Shelton to Make Dreams Come True for 6-Year-Old Girl With Brain Cancer
Blake Shelton has a tendency to act like life is all fun and games, but the sometimes-sensitive country star knows when to be serious, too. Recently, he turned off his typically controversial Twitter persona to help raise support for Harlie Bryant, a six-year-old little girl who is suffering from brain cancer.
When the ‘Over’ hitmaker learned of Harlie and an organization called Hope for Harlie, which is working to raise money to offset her medical bills, he knew he had to step in. With just one tweet to his 1.8 million followers (and some change), Shelton managed to boost donations to the young girl’s cause.
“Doubled our supporters in less than 24 hrs thanks to @blakeshelton!” the official Hope for Harlie organization tweeted, giving props to the country singer and adding that Harlie loves singing ‘Hillbilly Bone’ with her dad.
Hope for Harlie was started by songwriter Jason Tierney, who is also a family friend. “I just felt led, like I needed to do something to help the family,” he explained when asked of his motive.
Support from Shelton himself is a major boost for the little girl — who has a tennis ball-sized tumor in her brain — but not just because of the monetary help and awareness he’s providing. Shelton was so moved by Harlie’s story that he made plans to meet her in person when he rolls through Owensboro, K.Y. to play WBKR‘s Big O Music Fest — and, he has promised to sing a song just for her.
Harlie is quick to admit that the popular singer and ‘The Voice’ coach is her favorite country star, so needless to say, she’s one anxious 6-year-old right now.
“I’m really excited,” Harlie told a local news station, adding that her favorite song of Shelton’s is ‘Honey Bee.’
The concert will be a much-welcomed distraction for the whole Bryant family. “Between her cyst with a tennis ball [size] and then her tumor — half of her head is engrossed with something that’s not supposed to be there,” Harlie’s mother, Lisa, explains. “So we just wait and see.”
Even though she’s had to face countless hospital stays, Harlie can’t seem to think about anything but her soon-to-be new buddy Blake Shelton. According to her mom, she was “ecstatic” when she heard that he’d be taking some time out for her. “She was jumping up and down and she was like, ‘What song is he gonna sing me?’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know, you have to ask him — whatever song,’” Lisa adds.
Seeing as her favorite tune is ‘Honey Bee,’ we have a feeling that Shelton might devote the smash hit to Harlie when he visits Owensboro on August 18. Our thoughts are with the young country fan as she continues to undergo treatment for cancer.