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When Taylor Swift brought her Eras Tour back to London for five more sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium, she set aside time to meet with two young girls who survived a horrifying stabbing attack.
Three girls between 6 and 9 years old were killed in the July 29 attack during a children’s dance class themed after Swift in Southport, England, which left eight other kids and two adults injured.
Swift met two survivors, Hope and Autumn, backstage at Wembley, which their mother, Sami Foster, captured in a TikTok video.
“You drew stars around my scars,” Foster wrote Monday in the caption, which references lyrics to Swift’s “Cardigan.” “The biggest thank you to @Taylor Swift and her mum for making the most magical night possible for us all … thank you for bringing Hope & Autumn pure happiness last night & always.”
Gareth Cattermole/TAS24 via Getty Images
The post has since gone viral and accrued more than 75,000 likes and heartwarming comments from regional fans. One user who identified as “a fellow Southport Mum” said she was “so happy the girls are recovering well,” which countless others echoed.
“This is so lovely,” another user commented Monday. “I hope when the girls are older this is the memory that shines through. I don’t know if this was night 4 but it would explain why Taylor was so teary eyed. Must’ve been emotional.”
Swift had already held multiple concerts for U.K. audiences in June but returned for one more London leg two weeks after the Southport attack, which left 6-year-old Bebe King, 7-year old Elsie Dot Stancombe and 9-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar dead.
King Charles visited the town Tuesday to meet with survivors of the attack and first responders.
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Merseyside Police arrested and charged a 17-year-old male suspect on Aug. 1 with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.
Swift publicly addressed the tragedy in an Instagram story one day after the attack.
“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I’m just in complete shock…,” she wrote at the time, adding: “These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
“Absolutely adore this! As a mum to 2 Southport swifties, I’m so sorry that your girls were involved but so happy that they got to meet her,” one fan commented on TikTok, with another stating: “well done Taylor for making these little girls dreams come true.”