Iโm not a big Drake fan, but 11-year-old Sofia Sanchez is. Sofia also has cardiomyopathy, a condition she was diagnosed with this summer, which often results in heart failure. While she was at Lurie Childrenโs Hospital in Chicago, where she was waiting on a heart transplant, Sofia participated in the โIn My Feelingsโ challenge, posting a video of herself getting out of a wheelchair to dance along to Drake.
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โI love your music and I was hoping that you could come and cheer me up for my birthday or anytime this week,โ she said in the video.
Well, it turns out Drake was listening. Last week, before his Chicago tour stop with Migos, Drake surprised Sofia at the hospital with a visit. The โGodโs Planโ rapper, who has four songs on Spotifyโs โTop Global Songs of the Summerโ list, shared the moment on Instagram.
โMe and my love Sofia talking about Bieber and Owls and Basketball,โ Drake captioned the photo.
Of course, this isnโt the first time Drake has surprised fans or been charitable with his time or money. According to Billboard, his first major act of charity happened in 2010, when he donated $30,000 to a Jamaican school. Since then, heโs helped fund a Philadelphia high schoolโs recording studio, helped raise money for Hurricane Harvey relief, and pledged $1 million to repair Torontoโs basketball courts.
For Sofia, though, the story gets even better. Her second wishโthat she get a new heartโwas fulfilled this week. On Sunday, her mother told her that she would be getting a heart transplant (h/t Billboard). Sofiaโs elated reaction was captured and shared on Instagram, where Drake was quick to offer his support.
โYESSSS!!!! My love so happy for you,โ he responded.
Of course, cynics will say that this is a PR stuntโa very nice, but very public act of goodwill. And part of me doesnโt necessarily disagree. But when you boil it all down, the exchangeโand the pure joy Sofia displaysโis just a simple, sweet, and good thing in a news cycle that doesnโt often give you those things. I may never be a Drake fan, but I can appreciate that much.
Sofiaโs now recovering from her successful operation, which took place Monday morning.
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