Disabled fan beats ableism with Beyhive’s help and fulfills dream of meeting Beyoncé after 25 years
Jon’s wheelchair wouldn’t fit on plane so he missed the Seattle concert of her Renaissance World Tour. But he didn’t know what’s in store for him!
Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour was a dream-come-true moment for many of her die-hard fans but things did not seem bright initially for Jon Hetherington, who wanted to meet the star for the last 25 years. Jon, who sufferes from cerebral palsy, had to overcome ableism and get help from Beyhive ( name given to Beyoncé fan base) so that the superfan could meet his idol. The world is tough for people with special needs or disabilities. In addition to this, ableism complicates things for them. According to the
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects a person’s posture and movement. Also, it can create problems with motor abilities and weakness in muscles. The 34-year-old Hetherington took to
TikTok to express one of the disheartening experiences he had on a flight. Having been a longtime fan and eager to meet Beyoncé, he decided to attend her Renaissance Tour in Seattle. With tickets and everything planned, he went off to the airport. “Well, guess I’m not going to Seattle and I’m not going to see Beyoncé,” Hetherington said in the video.
“My chair is 4 inches too tall to be loaded onto the plane,” the upset fan said. He continued, “They checked every possible flight and airline, so after 25 years of waiting, I’m not seeing Beyoncé tonight. Guess Ableism strikes again.” With over 104k views and the support of several people in the comment section, hope was beginning to emerge. Many people tagged Beyoncé and her team to highlight the situation to them. Beyhive believed that the fan should attend the concert he had been dreaming of.
The New York Times reported that the fan’s pleas had been heard and Beyoncé’s team offered Hetherington to see the Queen Bey on stage in Texas. The singer’s representatives paid Hetherington’s travel expenses and offered him tickets to Beyoncé’s Arlington, Texas concert. And there his dream come true, seeing the superstar live, bright on stage during her stunning performance. Hetherington shared a glimpse from his memorable experience on Instagram and captioned it, “Beyhive, you made this happen, you pushed and tagged like the internet has never seen. Tonight, for the first time, I had a seat on the floor for a concert. Welcome to the Renaissance.”
That was not all! Hetherington got a chance to meet Beyoncé and her mother, Tina Knowles, and interacted with them as well. The grateful fan posted on Instagram, thanking Beyoncé and Knowles for their kindness. He captioned the post, “To the Queen herself, Beyoncé, I will treasure those words you said and the hugs you gave. I meant every word I said. No, for anyone and everyone reading this, I will not ever share with you what was said to me, don’t even try it. That moment is between the two of us.”
