The Joy of Vance

Jodi and I were talking on the way up to the cottage. We both noticed that Princess Pants, not once throughout this whole ordeal, has even so much as mumbled a single complaint. Not one. Zero. She went to hell and back at a time in her life when she should have been looking forward to becoming a teenager and she never complained. Sure, she had moments where she was down, or scared, or wrote something on the blog like "I want to be a kid again", which is perfectly healthy and we're glad she had the outlet to do it, but day-to-day complaints? Zip. She took the really crappy hand she was dealt and she accepted it, and that makes it even more amazing.

So, on June 27 I did something hoping it would pay off and bring a big ole smile to Princess Pants' face: I sent an email to Taylor Swift and Vance Joy. Taylor is on a world tour and Vance is one of her opening acts and Pants loves them both (more so Vance, I think). I explained in my email what Pants went through and how she listened to their music and told them the story of her class wearing tiaras on her last day of school before surgery. I asked them if they would be so kind as to mention Pants in a tweet or send her an email or autographed picture. Somewhat jokingly I said that if they had a picture of them wearing a tiara that would be positively epic.

Well, on August 6 I got a FedEx envelope from Vance Joy addressed to Pants. It looked like it would hold an 8x10 photo and figured that Vance's manager or PR person sent one along from the stack they have in the office (I'm sure he signs a bunch every time he sees his manager for just such an occasion). Pants was up at the cottage with Grandma that day and we were to bring it up to her the next day.

Jodi noticed that the envelope was mailed overnight delivery and came from Edmonton and mentioned that Vance and Taylor were just in Edmonton. I reckoned at this point that what was in the envelope was probably more than just an 8x10 glossy off the stack in the office. I was right. I decided that I would record Pants opening the envelope to see if her reaction was YouTube worthy. It was.


Inside was an autographed picture, and a hand-written note which read:

Dear Avery, 

I find your bravery and strength inspiring. It means a lot to me that you have been listening to my music. I don't have a tiara on me right now, but I have decided to draw me in one. I'm on your team!  

(Looks more like a crown, sorry lol)

The video above tells you all you need to know about how well this worked out. Her reaction brought a tear to my eye and still does every time I watch it (which is often).

Thank you, Vance Joy, for making my daughter feel like the happy, elated, giddy teenager she deserves to be.

~ Dad