Taylor Swift surprises fan who requested song via paper airplane
What's the story
In a heartwarming turn of events, global pop sensation Taylor Swift has surprised an eight-year-old fan with a signed guitar and a handwritten note. The surprise was made possible after the child, Madeline from Cleveland, sent a paper airplane over her neighbor's fence to request Swift's song. The request was fulfilled by the neighbor, musician Ethan Hayes, while Madeline's mother, Natalie Hulec, captured the exchange on video and later posted it to TikTok.
Surprise gift
Swift's team reached out to Hayes after video went viral
After the video of Hayes playing Swift's 2008 hit Love Story went viral on TikTok, Swift's team contacted him. "They're like, 'Hey, Taylor saw your video. We want to send you something. Don't tell anyone until it gets there,'" he recalled to People. "I was expecting maybe a signed poster or something. And then she sent us guitars, which is insane."
Twitter Post
See the sweet note here
Taylor Swift has recently sent a autographed guitar & letter to a little swiftie who went viral 🥹🤍
— The Taylor Swift Updates (@theTSupdates) May 26, 2026
“Dear Madeline, I just wanted to let you know that it made me SO happy that you asked your neighbour to play my song for you. You brought the biggest smile to ky face! I'm… pic.twitter.com/EsVhyn8e8X
Heartfelt message
'You brought the biggest smile to my face,' Swift wrote
Swift's handwritten note to Madeline read, "Dearest Madeline, I just wanted to let you know that it made me SO happy that you asked your neighbor to play my song for you." "You brought the biggest smile to my face! I am sending you your own guitar, in case you ever want to learn too!" "Thanks again and sending you my love, Taylor."
Idea origin
How the unique request for a song came about
Madeline's mother revealed that her daughter came up with the idea because she was too shy to approach Hayes directly. "We had the windows open, we're making dinner, and even Russell [her husband] shouted out a little 'Woo!,'" Hulec recalled to People while describing the first time she heard Hayes performing outside. Soon her daughter asked for computer paper to write her request on, and the rest is history.