O’FALLON, Mo. – Seven-year-old Alma Lacoste navigates her O’Fallon home differently than any other kids her age.
“Since April, she has been in the hospital four times with two surgeries,” said Kayla Buckowitz, Lacoste’s mother. “So it’s been a lot for her the last few months.”
Lacoste was born with spina bifida, which limits her mobility. She uses a wheelchair, and when she’s home, she crawls. She had surgery while still in the womb.
“It’s probably around 10 surgeries that she’s had in her life,” Buckowitz said on Thursday.
The 7-year-old has been in and out of hospital rooms since she was born. She also lives with hydrocephalus and epilepsy.
“It’s really hard just to see her have to go through so much,” Buckowitz said.
Through it all, there’s been one constant. Lacoste’s love for Taylor Swift from her home to her hospital bed, she loves to sing Taylor Swift’s top hits.
“She’s my favorite,” Lacoste said.
“Just pop on Taylor Swift in there, and it was just like a dance party in there in our hospital room,” Buckowitz said.
Just like all the Taylor Swift fans around the country Lacoste and her family are trying to get tickets to a show. A family friend has helped set up a GoFundMe to help Lacoste see Taylor Swift in Kansas City along with her parents. And even if they can’t find a way to go, the bond that’s grown through the music may be just enough.
“She’s sick in a hospital room, but it’s not as bad because we have those memories of listening to these Taylor Swift songs together and bonding,” Buckowitz said. “I don’t know it seems like a little glitter of light for us that we have.”