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Taylor Swift's mom hugs 11-year-old in viral Eras Tour costume

INDIANAPOLIS — Henry Hinson sits outside Yolk, a brunch spot in downtown Indy, wearing a dark blue Taylor Swift hoodie and an unwavering smile on his face. The sweatshirt was a gift from Swift's mother Andrea on Friday night at the Eras Tour.

The 11-year-old went viral in October after his mother, Erin Hinson, posted a TikTok of him in his Halloween costume. The freckled boy with kind eyes wore an orange and pink hybrid suit with a parachute flap attached to the back of his wheelchair. Henry wanted to dress up as his favorite Eras Tour dancer, Kameron Saunders, in the outfit seen at the start of the three-hour show.

The idea came to him after seeing the Eras Tour film on AMC in fall 2023.

“As we were leaving the theater after seeing the movie for the first time, Henry said, 'Mom, I want to be one of those backup dancers,'” Hinson says. “He did that. I'll never forget it. We were in the parking lot and loaded him into our van.”

Hinson and her husband figured out how to use pool noodles to make the parachute flap open and close like the Eras Tour Overture. The viral video caught the attention of Taylor Nation, Swift's internal marketing team, in mid-October. They sent Hinson a message that the two could attend the first night at Lucas Oil Stadium. The family came from Louisville, Kentucky, and Henry wore his famous parachute outfit. When the mother and son picked up the tickets at will, they found that they were in Section 143.

“It's the 'I love you' section,” Henry says, smiling. “One is for 'I', four is for 'Love' and three is for 'You'.”

Swift fans stopped Henry nonstop to take photos with him as he entered Lucas Oil Stadium. He loved every minute of the show and had no idea he would get a surprise visit from “Mama Swift.” During the song “Marjorie,” Andrea Swift performed.

“All of a sudden a large group of people came up behind us and I looked around,” Hinson says when he saw Swift's publicist and some security guards standing next to her. “I looked over at Henry and Taylor’s mom was hugging him and just welcoming him to the concert.”

Remember this moment: Celebrate Taylor Swift's unprecedented Eras tour with USA TODAY's enchanting book

Hinson captured some photos and videos of the sweet exchange. Swift's team did the same, most likely showing off the superstar after the concert.

“(Andrea) was so incredibly kind and she said some amazing things to both Henry and me,” Hinson says. “I hugged her and said, 'From one mother to another: Thank you for sharing your child with us.' And then she said to Henry, “Taylor is thinking of you.”

Andrea handed the 11-year-old a shopping bag full of goods, including a T-shirt and a dark blue hoodie.

“To sum it up, it was great,” beams Henry, while Hinson gets teary-eyed.

“It is incredibly kind and generous that they not only took the time to ensure my child had the best night, but also went the extra mile to get to know them and welcome them onto the show,” she says through tears. “Seeing that he is a beloved member of this Swiftie community just makes me incredibly grateful.”

It took a long time

Henry was born with spina bifida, a developmental disorder that occurs at birth and affects the spine.

“It's a snowflake disease,” says Hinson, “so it's literally different for every person who suffers from it. In Henry’s particular case, he has no feeling approximately below his sternum, his chest cavity, and below.”

“He has a few other physical problems,” explains the mother, “e.g. B. a non-verbal learning disorder. Therefore, he may have difficulty regulating emotions. But overall he’s a mainstream kid.”

The Montessori middle school student takes advanced courses. He plays baseball. As a cheerleader, he shows school spirit. He loves swimming. He dominates Roblox, an online game. But his proudest title is Swiftie.

“I think the world is incredibly chaotic right now,” Hinson says. “There are wars and these crazy elections, and then there's Henry's joy in these videos and the pride he feels in his costume. For 23 seconds he filled the world with a little bit of happiness, and it's the privilege of a lifetime to be able to do that. “Sharing Henry with the world, because how you see him in these videos shows exactly who he is.”

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