Luke Bryan Grants 7-Year-Old Superfan’s Wish Amidst Her Battle with Terminal Brain Cancer
The country superstar shares a special bond with Mary, who now thinks they are “BFFs.”

Luke Bryan and Mary; Photos Courtesy Facebook, Kristin Stegmueller
Luke Bryan shared an unforgeable moment with a 7-year-old superfan battling terminal brain cancer during his recent stop in Denver, CO.
Mary Stegmueller has been fighting hard to beat her cancer since she was just 4 years old. Through everything, her family told Fox 31 News that she has stayed positive, especially when Luke Bryan’s name comes up.
When her mother Kristin Stegmueller saw that the country star was coming to a stage near them on July 29, she was hoping to snag tickets for her daughter to be able to attend. However, since she is immunocompromised and cannot stand for long durations, her family assumed that attending the concert would be impossible.

“I knew it wasn’t going to happen, but I was just praying that it would because I knew she really, really wanted to go,” her mom told the news outlet.
This all changed when a very generous person anonymously donated an entire suite to Mary and her family after being moved by her story.
“Which was amazing,” Kristin added.
The anonymous donor wasn’t the only one who was touched by Mary’s story. When Bryan heard that this fan had found a way to attend his show and wanted to meet him, he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to make her wish come true.

After the show, a local Denver news station, KDVR, reported that Bryan invited Mary and her family backstage to hang out and snap some photos together. The country singer/songwriter was seen sitting on the couch with the young fan and even giving her a hug and a kiss on the top of her head in another photo.
This was a huge moment not only for Mary, but also for her family who shared that they truly believe his music has been a huge motivation for their daughter to keep fighting for her life.
This wasn’t the first time Mary got up-close and personal with the “But I Got A Beer In My Hand” singer. Back in 2021, Mary was in chemotherapy, but was able to make it to one of his shows and even got a quick hug from Bryan after a concert. Then last December, he sent her a celebratory message on Christmas day.
“She said, him sending a video message on Christmas was the best gift she got on Christmas,” her mom shared.
“Now she feels they’re BFFs and she’s like ‘I want to see him, but he also needs to come see me.’ So, she’s also hoping to see him up close and personal just because he’s made her so happy,” she said in the Fox news package before knowing that Mary would in fact get to meet him “up close and personal.”
This week, Mary began her 43rd round of radiation.
The recent heartfelt visit between Bryan and his “diehard fan” took place in Denver, CO as part of his Country On Tour. This trek kicked off June 15 and continues with stops in 36 cities across the U.S. including major markets like Philadelphia, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Charlotte, Raleigh, and more.

Chayce Beckham, Tyler Braden, Ashley Cooke, Jackson Dean, Jon Langston, Conner Smith, Alana Springsteen, and Hailey Whitters will join Bryan on the run alongside DJ Rock.
In the midst of this run, Bryan will also hit the road for his 14th annual Farm Tour 2023.
Taking to social media to share the news, he wrote, “It’s my favorite time of year. #FarmTour2023 will kick off in September. I can’t wait to get back in the fields, up close to the fans and honoring our American farmer.”
From September 14-23, Luke Bryan will set up stages in the fields of farms in Shelbyville, KY, Millersport, OH, Colfax, IA, Brooklyn, WI, Eyota, MN. He will be joined by special guests Kameron Marlowe, Chayce Beckham, Peach Pickers and DJ Rock on select dates.
For a full list of Luke Bryan’s upcoming tour dates, visit his official website.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.