11-year-old breaks down in tears after she wins Taylor Swift concert tickets
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay gave to Taylor Swift fans, chosen from submissions on social media, four tickets to one of the three Eras Tour concerts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Ashten Daniel is an 11-year-old Swiftie on the city’s south side. She won tickets after her dad, Garret Daniel, entered Irsay’s contest.
In his entry post, he said, “My wife and daughter are big Swifties! We listen to her songs every time we are in the car together. My daughter is the most kind loving sweet kid and deserves to go to this once-in-a-lifetime show. Please help make her wish a reality! #ForTheShoe.”
When News 8 caught up with Ashten Daniel two days after she found out she won she was very gracious and thanked Jim Irsay profusely.
“I want to say thank you so much for choosing our tickets,” Ashten Daniel said.
Her dad was very thankful for Irsay’s kind giveaway as well.
“Thank you so much,” Garret Daniel said. “Really appreciative of everything he does for our community and for this opportunity for my wife and kid to go to this concert.”
Ashten cried when she found out. She was called out of class to take a Facetime call from her dad where she asked multiple times if she was in trouble before her dad could share the big news.
“It was a weird feeling. It made me really happy but also I didn’t know if it was real or not. I kinda felt like I was in a dream,” Ashten said. “I was like… Am I in trouble? Did I do something wrong on my phone or something? But I actually got a big surprise.”
Ashten knows every Taylor Swift song. Her favorite is “Our Song” off of Taylor Swift’s self-titled debut album. A unique choice for a girl who would not be born for another 7 years after the song was released. It just goes to show the depth of her appreciation for Swift and her music.
“Oh! I love her so much! It’s like, I just feel like me and her music have kinda bonded a little bit,” Ashten said.
Despite being the one to enter the contest Daniel is not going to the concert.
He found out he won on his birthday, but in typical dad fashion, he gave the second ticket to his wife so the girls could have a special bonding moment as Taylor Swift fans.
“Really happy to provide them with that experience. When you put yourself in a contest like this you don’t really think you’re going to win but if you do great,” Garrett said. “So we did win. We’re super excited and i am really happy to give my daughter that opportunity of a lifetime.”
Ashten said this is her first concert, and she is very excited to see Swift in person so she can connect more with the music.
Ashten was curious to know why their entry was selected but she was not given a reason when they won.
Irsay gave away four tickets in total, two to the Daniels family and two to Audrey Benedict. She shared her story with News 8’s Dakarai Turner on Tuesday.
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