Photo: www.DavidBergman.net
Luke Combs shared a heartwarming moment with a fan onstage at Buckeye Country Superfest. The festival welcomed more than 63,000 fans to Ohio Stadium — often dubbed “The Shoe,” a nickname nodding to its horseshoe-shaped design — over the weekend in Columbus, Ohio. Organizers shared on Instagram:
“What a Beautiful, Crazy night Columbus! Over 63,000 of you set the record for the largest crowd to see a concert at The Shoe! See y’all again next summer 🤠”
Combs’ performance was a highlight of the festival to many fans, including for one special reason: The reigning iHeartRadio Music Awards Country Artist of the Year welcomed a guest to the stage, singing to a teen battling terminal cancer. Addi, 17, is reportedly fighting leukemia. Her mom, Staci, shared in an emotional Facebook post that it was “literally the best night of our lives.”
Staci explained the “unbearable…heartache” she’s felt while watching her young daughter fight cancer, becoming “incessant in finding a cure for AML” and raising funding and awareness. She said Addi had a “bucket list,” including meeting Combs and attending one of his concerts. She thanked “some pretty amazing people” for helping her daughter to make that happen.
Photo: www.DavidBergman.net
“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,” Staci shared of the moment the family met Combs. “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.”
During his encore performance, Combs brought Addi on stage for her favorite song, “Better Together,” which Combs released on his 2019 album What You See Is What You Get. The crowd turned on their flashlights and sang along as Combs sand to Addi. Staci has shared a few posts, including photos and videos, since appearing on stage over the weekend, expressing her gratitude for the “epic experience” for her daughter.
“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,” Staci wrote. “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.”
Watch it here: