Big dreams came true for littleBella Thomson!
Known to her nearly5 million TikTok followersas Bella Brave, the 8-year-old from Saskatchewan received a standing ovation at theDavid Foster Foundationgala on Saturday night all thanks to Broadway starJessica Vosk.
Bella — who is experiencing bowel failure and is currently on the list for a bowel transplant — and her mother,Kyla Thomson, were special guests atDavid Foster’sA Night on Broadwaygala in Toronto. The event raised funds for Canadian families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants, and Bella and Kyla were documenting their experience on social media.
Vito Amati Photography, Arthur Mola
“David Foster stopped the band, and the audience went wild, and she stole the show! And she stole my heart too. She is stronger than I will ever be.”
Bella almost didn’t make it to the big show. Earlier that day, her mother Kyla tells PEOPLE that she was experiencing some stomach and bowel pain.
For more on Bella Thomson singing with Jessica Vosk, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.
“I just told her, ‘Honey, if you need a day of rest, just rest. You know, your health and safety is more important than any show,’ " Kyla explains. “And she’s like, ‘Mom, I think I’ll be okay.’ She had a nap, we did some medical care and, before I knew it, she’s like, ‘Mom, I wanna get my dress on. Let’s go party!’ "
Bella has experienced a slew of medical and genetic conditions since she was born in 2013. According tothe family’s pageon the David Foster Foundation website, Bella was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease, a disease that affects an infant’s intestines, in addition to severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and a form of dwarfism called cartilage hair hypoplasia.
She also needed to have a bone marrow transplant when she was 1 year old due to having SCID.
“There’s just been so many painful procedures and medical procedures she’s had to endure at home and in hospital. To see her feeling so good and just loving the music, and being able to dance and enjoy herself, for her this was an experience that was breathtaking. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for her,” Kyla says.
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In an exclusive video shared with PEOPLE, Bella can be seen taking the stage to dance around Vosk as the formerWickedstar belted out “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from the musicalFunny Girl.
Beaming in her purple gown, Bella received a standing ovation from the crowd and on her way back to her mother’s table, she can be heard excitedly asking, “Did you see me, Mommy?”
“It was one of the most special moments of my life. Afterwards she said, ‘This was my dream.’ "
source: people.com
