Taylor Hawkins made the dreams of a nine-year-old drummer girl come true just days before he died at the age of 50.
The Foo Fighters musician’s death was confirmed this morning by the band, who said they were ‘devastated’ by his ‘tragic and untimely loss.’
The announcement sent shockwaves through the music world and tributes have poured in from fans and celebrity friends.
The cause of Hawkins’ death is currently unconfirmed, but it is reported that he had ‘10 different substances in his system’ when he died.
It has since been revealed that the star made a young fan very happy, as it was her mission to meet the Foo Fighters.
The band were supposed to play in Paraguay at the Asunciónico Festival on March 22, but the concert was cancelled after they arrived in Asunción due to severe weather.
Emma Sofia – a local drummer and singer with a large social media following – considered Hawkins her hero, and was determined to not allow the bad weather to stop her from meeting her idol.
The young musician’s supportive parents held tickets for the gig and set up her drum kit outside the hotel, where a crowd of fellow fans gathered.
After Hawkins saw what was going on and heard the crowd cheering, he went outside to meet Emma.
Her dad, Julio Peralta, documented the dream encounter on her social media accounts, with videos and pictures of the moment she had been waiting for.
One of his tweets shows a photo of the duo smiling together, with Emma’s dad’s tweet translating to read: ‘Since my daughter found out that the Foo Fighters were coming, she started a campaign to meet them. Today we took her drums to play in front of the Sheraton and look who came out at her call. Dreams come true.’
Videos show that Hawkins spent time chatting to other fans, who were disappointed not to see the band live.
After Hawkins’ death was announced, Emma’s dad tweeted that he ‘didn’t know’ how to tell his daughter, saying their family were ‘devastated’.
They later shared on their Instagram account: ‘There are no words to describe what we feel. We are devastated to hear of the passing of Taylor Hawkins, our thoughts are with his loved ones and fans.’
Their post continued: ‘We will remember him for his charisma and the beautiful gesture he had with Emma. Taylor gave us something to believe in. He was, is and always will be an inspiration. There goes our hero…RIP TAYLOR HAWKINS…Emma, dad and mom.’
Foo Fighters fans have been gathering in their hundreds to mourn the loss of Hawkins, after he was found in his hotel room during the band’s tour in Colombia.
Announcing the heartbreaking news, the band said ‘his musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever’.
‘Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time,’ their statement read.
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