Here’s the clear winner for heartwarming pop story of the day: A 13-year-old girl from Alabama has shared a touching story on Facebook about how Britney Spears’ 2003 hit single “Toxic” helped her recover from a brain aneurysm and stroke, and wants to thank the pop superstar for her role in her miraculous return to normal health.
Maegan Johnson, from Phenix City, Ala., wrote a Facebook post last month in which she shared that she suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm at 7 years old, and that her parents were told “not to expect a good outcome.” Johnson also suffered a stroke during a procedure, and after a 10-hour brain surgery, she was unable to speak for six weeks.
“I had to communicate on a dry erase board and became very depressed,” writes Johnson. “One day someone played one of my [CDs]. The first song did nothing, but the next song was “Toxic” by Britney Spears — I smiled, tried moving my hips and lifting my arm waving it back and forth in the air trying to dance. That song was incorporated in ALL Therapy Sessions.”
#justkeepdancing Ellen please read this. I am 13 years old from Phenix City, Alabama. When I was 7 I had a ruptured brain aneurysm and was airlifted to Scottish Rite Childrens Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. The first week the doctors told my parents not to expect a good outcome. During a procedure to see how bad the bleed was, I had a stroke and it affected my left side. I had a 10 hour brain surgery, afterwards I couldnt speak for 6 weeks. I had to communicate on a dry erase board and became very depressed. I didnt want to smile or communicate. Special visitors came to the hospital like cheerleaders, clowns and dogs for therapy to cheer us up, but nothing worked. Until…. one day someone played one of my cds. The first song did nothing, but the next song was Toxic by Britney Spears-I smiled, tried moving my hips and lifting my arm waving it back and forth in the air trying to dance. That song was incorporated in ALL Therapy Sessions. It has been our hope to get my story to Britney. My parents said as an entertainer and mother, she would appreciate knowing the impact and role she played on my recovery. We have been trying for 6 years through radio stations, emails and all social media, with no luck. Hopefully with your help, my wish will finally come true. I just want to thank her and let her know how much I appreciate her and tell her my story. Thank you! With: Michele Glass Johnson and Carrie Houston Paris
Posted by Maegan Johnson on Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Six years later, the 13-year-old has posted an inspiring video of herself smiling and dancing to “Toxic” in a Facebook post that has garnered nearly 270,000 views in less than two months. Johnson uses the hashtag #justkeepdancing and writes that she is still trying to get Spears to hear her amazing tale.
“Hopefully with your help, my wish will finally come true,” she writes. “I just want to thank her and let her know how much I appreciate her and tell her my story.”
Britney Spears’ “Toxic”: a fantastic pop song, and now, a life-saving pop song. Watch the video below (and thanks to Pop Crush for spotting the story!):
This story first appeared on Billboard.com.
