50949_WKBW_7_Problem_Solvers_658x90.png

Actions

Community rallies to get North Tonawanda teen to Taylor Swift

Posted

Around Western New York, North Tonawanda teen Stella Usiak is better known as "Stella Swift."

She's been singing the tunes of Taylor Swift since she was diagnosed with cancer seven years ago.  Now, at age 14, Stella affectionately calls herself a "Swiftie" and uses her Facebook page as her stage.

"For seven years, it's been Taylor Swift getting her through all of this," Mary Friona-Celani said about her family friend.

It was this past Christmas, Stella got tickets to "Shake it Off" with her idol at the Rogers Centre in Toronto come summer.  But two hours before the concert this past weekend, Stella broke her leg in her hotel room and couldn't go to the show.

Stella's "fans" acted fast and set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to get her mother, Jen, and her to see the next T. Swift concert on her Reputation Tour.

In just 24 hours, the page raised more than $3,000.  The goal is now $5,000 to cover tickets and trip expenses.

The outpouring of support didn't just stop at the fundraiser.  The labor of love came to straight to her doorstep in North Tonawanda.

"I just wanted to do something that would, ya know, cheer her up.  I thought why don't we just make a ramp for her?" Lucas Lowe said about his good friend, Stella.

The two meet each other through treatment at Roswell Park seven years ago.  His mom, Maureen, because close with Stella's mom, too.  

Warren has a ramp for Lucas at their home, so when Lucas suggested they build one for Stella, it became a no brainer.

While Lucas isn't the biggest fan of Swift, Stella adores her and he wanted to make sure that Stella is ready just in case Swift ever swings by North Tonawanda.

And while Stella recovers in Toronto, Lucas has this message for his "fearless" friend: "By the way, Stella, I love you!"

 

Have a news tip, question or comment?

 

Take WKBW Everywhere, on all your devices.  Download below!

Phone or Tablet: Apple, Android
Set-top Device: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV
Amazon Alexa

Personalize your news, get the latest 7 First Alert Forecast, and watch 7 Eyewitness News video wherever, whenever.

Learn more here about what 7 Eyewitness News provides on all these devices.