It seems music really can transcend generations! Nelly helps one young fan’s dreams come true after a special meet-up courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Nine-year-old Destanie Sharrone has been fighting lymphoblastic leukemia since February 2023. The Make-A-Wish Foundation helped grant her one wish to hang out with the St. Louis rapper. Sharrone’s mother, Stephanie, highlights that music had a significant impact on her daughter’s mental well-being.
Particularly, Nelly’s music, which includes hits like: “Ride Wit Me,” “E.I.,” “Air Force Ones” and “Grillz” to name a few. “When she was first diagnosed with her leukemia,” the mother began. “It blasted holes in both of her retinas, so she went completely blind so it was so hard, not only are you getting cancer, but here you’ve lost your sight.” She continued: “It took a long time to get out of her shell and so you don’t need to see to enjoy music.”
“You don’t have to see to enjoy music,” Sharrone’s Mother Says
She added, “I have videos where she’s rapping Grillz as part of music therapy…it took a long time to get her out of this deep, dark shell. (With) music, you don’t have to see to enjoy music, so music is what we went to.” Destanie shared with FOX 2, that she was excited and nervous to meet Nelly. “I’m probably gonna be nervous. I wanna ask him about stage fright and stuff. I’m gonna get his autograph,” Destanie told the outlet.
The nine-year-old reveals this was her first time on a plane. Nelly was seemingly overjoyed to meet her, offering her a warm hug upon her arrival. The rapper hopes these memories stay with her, and thanks to the signed poster he gifted her, it shouldn’t be too hard. “It’s a tough journey, obviously, I mean, lots of ups, lots of downs. Today is definitely an up. Just emotional, but it’s once in a lifetime. I don’t think she’ll ever forget it. I mean, she’s the star which she should be.”