Green and purple costumes, and matching light-up bracelets—all for the plucky fighter who inspired #EmilyStrong.
If Taylor Swift concertgoers didn’t know the story of Emily Beazley, it might have been easy to miss what some are calling a touching tribute to the Mt. Greenwood 12-year-old. There was no mention of her name, nothing said in her honor. But those who knew her—they were certain what they were seeing at Soldier Field this weekend had to be about their littlest hero.
The Grammy Award-winning pop megastar rocked out in green and purple—the colors close to the hearts of Beazley and her thousands of supporters. And did we mention it was during her favorite song, ”Shake It Off”?
Beazley, who was a devoted Swift fan, died in May after a four-year battle with cancer. She never had a chance to realize her dream of meeting Swift or attending her concert, but she did get to hear the singer’s voice live via phone call.
“Emily has a smile from ear to ear,” Emily’s mom Nadia Beazley, wrote on Facebook following the call.
The audience also twinkled for Beazley. Fans received LED wristbands at the 1989 World Tour concert that synced colors with Swift’s performance—green and purple during ”Shake It Off.”
Social media was abuzz with talk of the tribute from fans of the Beazley family, who still update a Light It Up for Emily Facebook page. The Emily fandom might have rivaled the Swifties’ devotion during the sold-out shows at Soldier Field.
“I couldn’t name a Taylor Swift song to save my life, but she is one classy young lady,” commented one fan on the Light It Up for Emily page.
“I sat next to 4 people wearing Emily Strong shirts Saturday night!” wrote another.
It’s all about the family, whose openness and unflagging courage stirred a community to rally around them. A street was renamed in honor of Emily, and she and her sister Olivia were dubbed honorary Chicago police officers, among just two of the tributes Emily inspired.
“The fight that I’ve been going through for the past four years has been difficult,” Emily said shortly before her death. “But you gotta stay strong, and you gotta stay positive, no matter what happens.”
#EmilyStrong supporters showered the family with well wishes following the shows.
“How happy it must make your family feel,” wrote one supporter. “All the love from the weekend. #emilystrong.”