Megastar Taylor Swift surprised 96-year-old Second World War veteran and Swiftie Cyrus Porter for Christmas by dropping in for a chat and to play a song. She walked into a rapturous reception and once the screaming died down, she played her hit “Shake It Off” on acoustic in a feel-good, singalong performance.
Swift opened by wishing the family a merry Christmas and giving the kids high fives, before saying to Mr. Porter “My dad sent me a video of you and you said that you wanted to see a concert. I don’t really know when we’re going on tour next, so I figured I’d do one here, and we can do some requests.” Check out the heart-warming moment below.
Swift, who was accompanied by her parents, then had a chat with Mr. Porter, where she mentioned her grandfather was also a Second World War veteran. Mr. Porter said “I can’t believe this”, and displayed how spry he was at 96 by standing up and telling the room a short story about the war. Swift then picked up her acoustic guitar and did an upbeat version of “Shake It Off”, where the little ones danced along and the rest of the family sang. Watch the moment Taylor walked in to meet Mr. Porter.
Family member Chris Porter uploaded the video and added some high praise of Swift, writing that “Taylor Swift proved herself to be someone of very high integrity and character. She did not draw attention to herself when she entered the room. She seemed flattered and appreciative from our thunderous cheering. She even seemed humbled by our welcome.” Check out Swift playing “Shake It Off” with her full live production in the video below.
Swift is known for taking time to meet with fans and has made several similar appearances at small events. Fans online appreciated how generous she was with her time, adding comments such as “She is a genuinely kind and down to earth person who genuinely likes people. What a beautiful memory for you all,” and “This brought tears to my eyes. The sweetest thing I’ve seen in a while. It truly warmed my heart.” If you would like to see more from Taylor Swift, you can subscribe to her YouTube channel or follow her on Instagram.