The mother whose loss inspired Taylor Swift’s ‘Ronan’ sought care at CHOP. Now she’s Swift’s guest at Friday’s Philly show.
Ronan Thompson would have been 16 on Friday. Swift invited his mother, Maya Thompson, to mark the day at the first of three concerts at Lincoln Financial Field.
Taylor Swift gifted tickets to Friday’s show at Lincoln Financial Field to a mother and friend who inspired one of the most heartfelt songs in her catalog.
In “Ronan,” Swift channels the emotions of a grieving mother who just lost her young son.
I can still feel you hold my hand, little man/And even the moment I knew/You fought it hard like an army guy/Remember I leaned in and whispered to you?/Come on, baby, with me/We’re gonna fly away from here/You were my best four years.
The song captures the real-life experience of Maya Thompson, an Arizona mother who lost her son, Ronan, on May 9, 2011, three days before his fourth birthday. He died after being diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma in 2010, a deadly form of childhood cancer.
As an ode to Ronan, who would have turned 16 on Friday, Swift sent Thompson tickets to the first performance of her three-night residency at Lincoln Financial Field as part of her “Eras” tour.
Thompson, who will be attending the concert with her 10-year-old daughter, Poppy, said she will sing and dance through the flurry of emotions she typically feels on Ronan’s birthday.
“Ronan loved music, so spending the evening at [Swift’s] concert sounds like the most beautiful way to wrap myself in his love,” Thompson told The Inquirer via email. “The unpredictable nature of my grief means I can’t anticipate the exact emotions that will surface on specific days, but I know my heart will be filled with a bittersweet blend of sadness and love.”
The “Shake it Off” artist read Thompson’s blog, Rockstar Ronan, in 2011, and reached out. In 2012, the singer recorded and performed “Ronan” for the Stand Up to Cancer telethon. She placed the standalone single on the rerecording of her album Red in 2021.
Since meeting Swift during the “Speak Now World” tour in 2011, Thompson said she and her family have been invited to every one of her concert tours. The multi-Grammy Award winner even had a hand in naming Thompson’s daughter Poppy.
Thompson said Swift’s support over the years has helped shed light on the impact of childhood cancer and encouraged her to continue spreading awareness through her own organization.
“Taylor’s love and unwavering support have provided a crucial platform for childhood cancer,” she said. “I’ve never understood why we aren’t fighting with everything we have to save these children who deserve a future and a chance to grow up.”
Thompson, who flew from Scottsdale to attend Friday’s performance, said her ties to Philly were rooted in her family’s experience at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She traveled to the facility for a consultation at the beginning of Ronan’s diagnosis and toward the end of his treatment.
On both occasions, she met with Yael Mossé, who specializes in neuroblastoma.
“Her compassion and bravery moved me deeply,” Thompson said. “I made a personal vow to support her research, and since 2012, we have been diligently funding her endeavors.”
To mark Ronan’s birthday, Thompson will donate to the CHOP through the Ronan Thompson Foundation, a volunteer-run organization dedicated to funding childhood-cancer research and treatment.
The contributions will establish the Ronan Thompson Nurse Navigator Fund at the hospital’s cancer center.
“This gift from the Ronan Thompson Foundation will make an incredible impact in the lives of the patients and families we care for,” CHOP pediatric oncologist Naomi Balamuth said. “The funding will give our team, a group of experienced nurses, the resources to provide extraordinary care and emotional support to families. We thank Maya for honoring her son’s life through this gift and her continued support to fuel pediatric-cancer research and care at CHOP.”
Thompson took to Twitter to encourage fellow Swifties to donate through a day of giving, and to embrace their “wild and free spirit” to commemorate her son’s birthday, which she affectionately named “Ronan’s Day of Love.”
“Let us be compassionate, spicy, brave, sparkly, adventurous, and thankful for all that we have,” she wrote.
Thompson said she hasn’t had much time to prepare for Friday’s concert, but she managed to grab a purple dress, Ronan’s favorite color. Fans in Philly plan to donate, and hand out “Ronan” bracelets throughout the night.
“Taylor’s fandom is undeniably the sweetest, and the incredible ‘Swiftie’ community has embraced Ronan as one of their own,” Thompson said. “It warms my heart to see how they’ve taken it upon themselves to honor Ronan at Taylor’s concerts.”