WOLCOTT, Conn. — Taylor Swift is back in the United States for the final leg of her record-breaking "Eras Tour," and one teen from Wolcott is heading to one of the shows for a special reason.
Ava Onofreo from Wolcott is heading down to Miami to see Swift and she's bringing a special request. Onofreo said she's leaned on Taylor Swift as an inspiration during her "darkest and toughest days" during the past three years.
"It was September 2021 - it started off as what we thought were panic attacks, and I was having 50 panic attacks a day," Onofreo explained. "I had brain scans done and MRIs, and there was no electrical activity happening. I was diagnosed as Pseudo Non-Epileptic Seizure."
This type of disorder can resemble, mimic, or appear like epileptic seizures, but their cause is psychological.
"This is very specific to the person that has the diagnosis, and for me and what mine looks like, I have full body convulsions, flailing of arms, legs, and stomach convulsions," Onofreo said.
The past three years have been challenging. Onofreo held onto hope that one day, she would be able to meet Swift and share her personal story of struggle and strength.
"That's honestly just the one thing that has been keeping me going, is the thought that maybe Taylor will hear my story," Onofreo explained.
While the journey will be long, Onofreo said she's been able to build up her strength to make the trip this weekend, hoping to meet Swift.
One of the features of the Eras Tour is when Swift sings her song "22" from the Red Album. During the set, a special audience member is selected to receive the "22" hat that Swift wears during the song. Swift dances to the edge of the stage, bestows the hat on the lucky fan, and flashes her iconic, red-lipped smile.
"I know it's a long shot," Onofreo admitted. "But every concert, Taylor gives out a '22' hat when she's performing [...] and places the hat on someone's head - and I'm hoping that head is mine."
Onofreo shared her story on social media, hoping to throw her "hat" into the ring and be selected during the special moment.
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Alexa Farrell is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. She can be reached at AFarrell@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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