Full Story:
http://www.vogue.com.au/celebrity/ne...ian+girl,37774
Four years previously, Beyoncé had spotted Chelsea, then 11, in the crowd when she was on stage in Sydney. At the time, Chelsea had just a one per cent chance of survival. The final few wispy strands of hair on her head blew serenely in the wind machine as Beyoncé changed the words to Halo, singing: “Chelsea, I can see your Halo – I pray you won’t fade away.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and the video went viral, reducing Ellen Degeneres to tears when she played it on her show.
Prophetically - and miraculously - Chelsea didn’t fade away: for four more years, despite all doctors predicting otherwise. At the time, I worked for children’s cancer charity Camp Quality, which specialises in bringing optimism and resilience into the lives of kids living with cancer. When I contacted Beyoncé’s manager at Parkwood Entertainment with the prospect of a reunion upon Beyoncé’s return visit to Australia for her new tour, she phoned me immediately: “Beyoncé has never forgotten Chelsea and is inspired by the work Camp Quality does. Please bring two other children living with cancer that the charity supports, too. Beyoncé would love to meet the friends Chelsea made at one of their camps.”
Two years ago to the day, Chelsea, her mum Donna, and two other girls living with cancer – Bronte Horswood and Andrea Al Zened and their mums – walked into Beyoncé’s dressing room backstage in Sydney. Chelsea flew into the arms of Beyoncé like two long lost friends reunited. Beyoncé picked her up, spun her around and said: “You have no idea how happy I am to see you again, beautiful.” Then she turned to see the others and said “all girls and their mums – I love the fact we’re all girls together. Let’s hang out and have fun.”
Each girl had practiced a question for Beyoncé with me beforehand; I had pretended to be Beyoncé to help them with their nerves. Chelsea was funny and cheeky, persuading me to try on the wig she’d got especially for the occasion. We needn’t have worried. Beyoncé was humble, even shy and giggly in their presence, in casual trackies and a sweat-shirt — a world away from the powerhouse we were about to see on stage. “Because of the flight delays, you’re late on stage,” her manager said. “Too bad,” Beyoncé shot back. “This is important.”
Just under two weeks later, Beyoncé sent one hundred white roses to Chelsea’s funeral in Newcastle. “Can we do anything else for the family?” Beyoncé’s manager asked me. “Just ask them never to forget Chelsea” her mum told me. It’s clear she truly won’t.
Since she was 15, people have tried and largely failed to get dirt on Beyoncé. Even getting an interview or candid moment is difficult. She guards her privacy, retains her dignity and composure.
A new book by J.Randy Taraborrelli, Becoming Beyoncé, couldn’t get a single interview with Queen Bey, leading some reviewers to claim her life is 'boring.'
Some suggested that Beyoncé telling an assistant to "stop it" this month proved there was a bitchiness beneath the enigmatic facade.
Those looking for aloofness or superficiality won’t find it. When she allowed three girls living with cancer to interview her, asking that no media was present so they could enjoy the moment privately, right there was the real Beyoncé: the warmest and most genuine celebrity our generation will know.
Chelsea was so beautiful. As is Bey. And some have the nerve she is greedy and doesn't care about her fans like some other certain popstars today?
