Morgan Wallen Fulfills 19-Year-Old Cancer Patient’s Bucket List Wish At Wrigley Field Concert

Fans rallied around Karlie to help get her to the front row.

By

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

June 26, 2023

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5:15 pm

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Morgan Wallen, Karlie; Photo via Instagram

Morgan Wallen made a dream come true for Karlie, a brave 19-year-old girl fighting a rare form of cancer, when he helped her add a check to her bucket list during his sold-out concert at Wrigley Field in Chicago on June 22.

The young fan, who was seated on the floor behind the GA pit, held up a sign that read, “GOALS: Beat cancer twice √, Picture with Morgan Wallen ▢.” 

Since Karlie was originally seated several yards from the stage, she experienced difficulty getting the “Everything I Love” singer’s attention. However, moved by her sign and unwavering determination, a group of fans collectively ensured that Karlie’s wish became a reality.

In the midst of Wallen’s performance of “Wasted On You,” the crowd collectively helped her navigate her way to the front row. 

Fans Rallied Around Karlie

After performing the chart-topping tune, Wallen spotted Karlie holding up her sign and immediately went to greet her. Taking a quick pause from the show, Wallen approached Karlie and made her dream of getting a photo with him come true. 

Karlie is currently undergoing treatment at Rush University Children’s Hospital in Chicago, and the experience of meeting Morgan Wallen added a memorable and uplifting moment to her journey. The kind gesture from Wallen and the support of his dedicated fans not only made Karlie’s night but also served as a reminder of the power of music and community in bringing joy and hope during challenging times.

Rush University Children’s Hospital documented Karlie’s memorable evening at the Morgan Wallen concert in a post to Instagram. 

She Got Ready At The Hospital

@ajfraz3 Heart of GOLD 🫶🏼 #morganwallen #wrigleyfield #onethingatatime #foryou #fyp #cancersucks #suvivor @morganwallen ♬ original sound – Ajfraz3

“Karlie and her best friend had been planning to go to the Morgan Wallen concert in Chicago since last year when they got tickets for Christmas. In February of 2023, Karlie began experiencing back pain, and was soon found to have relapsed Ewing sarcoma in her spine,” the post reads. “She began chemotherapy again, requiring many overnight stays. Treatment, imaging appointments, surgery consults, and requiring platelets didn’t stop these girls from going to the concert though.”

Karlie got ready for the concert while at the hospital with help from her oncology nurses and child life specialist.  

“I didn’t think I’d be getting ready in the hospital, but after living here for the last 3 years, I wouldn’t expect anything else,” Karlie said, according to the hospital. 

A Memorable Moment

Return To The Stage

Following a six-week vocal rest that sidelined him from touring, Morgan Wallen made his highly anticipated return to the stage during the Wrigley Field concert on June 22.

The country superstar was all smiles as he stepped onto the stage in front of a near record-breaking crowd of 41,538 fans in Windy City, resuming his sold-out One Night At A Time World Tour. The show marked the first of two nights at the iconic stadium. Wallen is the first country artist to sell out back-to-back nights at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

“‘Bout six weeks ago, I wasn’t really sure when I was gonna be able to sing again, but WE BACK!’” Wallen exclaimed. He went on to graciously thank his fans for sticking by his side and for their dedication to his music.

Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert
Morgan Wallen; Photo by Matthew Paskert

“I see more of y’all’s support, so I could not make it through without everything y’all do for me, so thank you. I’m really, really happy to be here,” he continued. ”Thank you so much for showing up.”

Ahead of night two of back-to-back sold-out shows at Wrigley Field, Morgan Wallen and Cubs Charities joined forces to donate $250,000 to support the revitalization of South Chicago’s Bessemer Park baseball field.

Keri Blackwell, Deputy Director, Cubs Charities; Morgan Wallen; Rosa Escareño, General Superintendent & CEO of Chicago Park District ; Photo by David Lehr
Keri Blackwell, Deputy Director, Cubs Charities; Morgan Wallen; Rosa Escareño, General Superintendent & CEO of Chicago Park District ; Photo by David Lehr

Morgan Wallen is currently in the midst of his One Night At A Time World Tour, which kicked off on April 14 with back-to-back nights at Milwaukee’s American Family Field. The 63-show trek features support from ERNEST and Bailey Zimmerman on all dates. HARDY and Parker McCollum will also appear on select dates.

The One Night At A Time World Tour comes in support of Wallen’s latest album, One Thing At A Time.

See below for a complete list of Morgan Wallen’s upcoming tour dates.

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.