Demi Lovato had quite the surprise for a young fan they met 13 years ago through the Make-A-Wish foundation. After meeting Austen when she was 10 years old, Demi decided to check in with the now 23-year-old.
Make-A-Wish shared the video where Austen, who was battling end-stage kidney disease when she wished to meet Demi in 2009, recalled the event.
“Demi was incredible,” Austen said of meeting the star backstage at one of their concerts. “We were talking and they’re like, ‘Oh, I hear that you sing, can you sing for me?"” Austen admitted she was “a ham” when performing for Demi, choosing to jump into a performance of “This Is Me” from Camp Rock.
“Demi’s like, ‘Oh, you’re really good!’ And I’m, like, freaking out like, ‘One of my idols said I’m a really good singer. That’s so cool!"” Demi later invited Austen to sing with them on stage, the latter of whom said the meeting “made me… into the person I am today.”.
Of course, that walk through memory lane ended at a happy destination — an overdue reunion. Demi rushed Austen and the two shared a heartfelt embrace, with the singer marveling, “You’re so grown now!”
After shedding some happy tears, Demi added, “I remember your little pigtails” before posing for some updated selfies.
Make-A-Wish shared a brief clip of an elated and squealing Austen after the meeting, showing that she is still very much a fan of the “Anyone” singer.
“Today, Austen is a student studying to be a speech pathologist – with hopes to give back to others. The wish experience forever changed Austen – giving her the hope needed to persevere,” Make-A-Wish added in a separate tweet. “That’s the power of a wish.”
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