Beyoncé and the Beyhive surprised Jon Hetherington, a 34-year-old disabled man with cerebral palsy, with an unexpected present. According to Today.com, Hetherington had been waiting for 25 years to see Beyoncé perform.
He had planned to attend her Renaissance Tour stop in Seattle on September 14, but was denied a spot on the airline. He was told at the airport that his wheelchair “exceeded requirements to fly” by four inches, which surprised him because he had taken a comparable flight just a few weeks before to attend performer Janelle Monáe’s tour.
He even recognized the Alaska Airlines staffer from his previous journey, but this time he was told that the airline was having trouble transferring his chair. The employee even went so far as to get tools in order to attempt to collapse his wheelchair.
“I’d never seen anybody collapse it. I didn’t know if you could,” Hetherington said. After several attempts, they finally told him only an Airbus could accommodate him, and the available flight would arrive the day after the show.
Hetherington was given a complaint form to fill out after being told he wouldn’t be able to board the flight and was assured he would receive a refund. Hetherington told the New York Times he was “demoralized” after being forced to miss the Seattle event.
Despite his dissatisfaction with Alaska Airlines, he contended that the event went beyond the airline and highlighted a wider issue with ableism in transportation. He went outside and used TikTok to release his rage. “Well, guess I’m not going to Seattle and I’m not seeing Beyoncé,” he said in the video before explaining his experience. “…So, ableism strikes again,” he added in conclusion.
Hetherington, who has around 23,000 Instagram followers, instantly grabbed the attention of Beyoncé fans. His video has received over 100,000 views and numerous comments. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Solange Knowles, Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé’s production and entertainment agency, and even her foundation, BeyGOOD, were all made aware of the situation.
They didn’t stop there, though. The Beyhive published his tale on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, in order to garner as much support as possible. Hetherington added that he did not anticipate the video going viral as rapidly as it did. The Beyhive’s reaction overwhelmed him with emotion.
A representative from the singer’s organization phoned him a few days later, proving their perseverance. In an incredible turn of events, he was flown out to Arlington, Texas, to witness her show at AT&T Stadium on September 21, fulfilling a lifetime goal.
Hetherington shared an Instagram photo of himself happy from his floor seats as he waited for the music to begin. “It’s literally you’ve been waiting your whole life to just be in the room and hear that voice. And here it is. It’s happening,” he said, remembering the moment she appeared on stage. “I couldn’t have the words to (express) what I was feeling at that time.”
He also uploaded photos of him meeting Beyoncé, his mom Tina Knowles-Lawson, and the dancers and band.
“Long live the Queen! Forever shall she reign,” he wrote beside a photo of him in conversation with the music icon.