SYDNEY, N.S. -- Thursday night was a night Vicki Gould will never forget after her country music idol made good on a promise to meet his biggest superfan.
Gould has Down syndrome and is mostly non-verbal, but singing along to Johnny Reid's songs brightens up her days.
After Gould’s story aired on CTV News at 5 last month, Reid reached out to her, promising her a night she would never forget.
"I'm gonna make sure that you're at Centre 200 when I come there," Reid told her in a video message. "You and I are gonna have a chance to say hello and I'm gonna get you backstage, and we're going to have a right good time -- so get your dancing shoes on."
Reid kept his promise and spent some time with Gould backstage at Centre 200 before the big show Thursday evening.
“To me, it was incredible, but for her, I’m sure it was just the exact same,” said Reid. “You know, it’s these small things in life, these wee things we can do in our life to make a huge difference, and that’s what Christmas is about.”
The concert and meet-and-greet also followed a day of star treatment, courtesy of Glace Bay businessmen Kenny McGillivray and Blair Slade, who footed the bill for a spa experience and limousine ride for Gould.
“Best Christmas present ever,” said Lori Gould about her daughter’s experience. “He fell right in love with her. You could see it right on his face.”
The pair snapped some photographs and, when her mother asked what song she would like to hear, Gould knew the answer right away.
“She said, ‘Change the World,’ and I just thought that was amazing,” said Reid.
Gould headed to her seat to enjoy the show, but the excitement didn’t stop there.
Reid spoke to his superfan from stage near the end of the concert and told the crowd about his new friend.
“There was a young woman who wanted to come,” he told the concertgoers. “I don’t like the word fan, she’s a big friend, and her mom was on the news talking about how she wanted to come and see the show, so I know she’s here tonight, and I know there was a wee song she wanted to hear.”
Sure enough, Reid had saved Gould’s favourite song -- “Today I’m Gonna Try and Change the World” -- for the encore.
Lori Gould says it was a night neither she, nor her daughter, will ever forget.
“Just want to say a big thank you to Johnny Reid for making Vicki’s dream come true,” she said. “It made her night.”