Most of you who read this blog are aware of the fact that Casey's fans came together for another fan, Barbara, or @daydreaminmeme as some may know her by . As a group effort, a very selfless plan was put in place, thanks to Marie, to help one lady's dream come true. A means to donate was established and Casey's fans came through in a big way!! The target show was the Pajama Jam Breast Cancer Benefit. Not only did the fans raise enough to cover all of Barbara's travel expenses to get there and back, (from New Orleans to Roanoke, Va.) but a check for over $1300 was also presented to the American Cancer Society in Casey's name! Barbara is a breast cancer survivor herself, and to finally be well enough to be able to take part in this wonderful benefit, and get to finally meet Casey James.....well, that was the dream!! Barbara is also a survivor of Katrina as well, so she has had her share of bad fortune, but this night....was all about her! This was her moment to have that dream of meeting Casey finally take shape! Below you will find, in her own words, how it all played out, from start to finish!! And let me warn you now.....get the kleenex, because you will need them!
The Excellent Adventures of Casey's Special Friends
As many of you know, I am a very recent breast cancer survivor & my goal over the past year has been to get well enough to attend a Casey concert. His story & his music both touched my heart & served as a compelling inspiration in my battle with this disease. Having followed him since “that TV show”, I've been lucky enough to meet so many of his amazing fans online thru Twitter and FaceBook, but most significantly thru Shari Geller's The Casey James Blog. One truly special fan in particular, Marie Leatham, had the idea of sponsoring me to go to Casey's concert in Roanoke, VA on October 14th, at the annual Pajama Jam Breast Cancer Benefit held there in conjunction with a local radio station. Marie put the idea out there, and Casey's awesome fans responded with true “Caseyness”, raising not only enough money to pay my expenses, but also enough to make a $1,312.00 donation to the American Cancer Society in Casey's name. The following is the story of that magical evening.
I flew into Roanoke from New Orleans Friday afternoon & I was greeted by my dear friend, Painter, as I like to call her. She has been attendin Casey concerts all year & gettin Casey to sign pictures for me at nearly every show, as well as lettin me listen to him play via her cell phone. She had a few surprises up her sleeve, it turned out...I turned around & there was another dear friend, NorthCountryGirl!!! NCG, as we call her, filled in when Painter couldn't at gettin Casey to sign pictures for me at his shows. Then we went outside and there was a black stretch LIMO waitin to take us to the hotel!!!!! We were giddy like little kiddies the whole way there. Roanoke is a beautiful place, and the hotel was simply splendid. We went to our room to freshen up & then went out to get a bite to eat.
Earlier in the week leadin up to the show, I had been informed that David, Casey's Sony guy, would be callin me to discuss & coordinate my meetin with Casey (SQUEE!), so every time my cell phone made a noise, the three of us would jump with anticipation. Of course, there was a copious amount of textin back & forth with Marie,so we got LOTS of exercise...
Back at the hotel, we checked out the arrangements for the show, which included a dinner & silent auction. We found out that we'd hafta line up outside in the courtyard to register & wait for the doors to the ballroom to open at 6 p.m. Now, just picture this...we're all in our pj's & there's a gale force wind blowin out there & the line was around-the-corner long! I was freezin my brand new boobies off... but it was well worth it to see Casey!!! And keep in mind, that all this time, we're waitin for that call from David...we got word from Marie that it would be around the time sound check was goin on, so we settled down to wait....impatiently, I'm afraid. 
Well, sound check came & went without a phone call, so I began to think it wasn't gonna happen....you ALL know how guys are...they SAY they'll call but they never DO!
... We cheered ourselves up by plannin to see Casey after the show when we hoped he'd come out to sign autographs & take pics with the fans. Finally, the doors opened & the line began movin....we were almost at the end of it, so by the time we got inside all the tables up front had been claimed. We found a spot in the very back, but centrally located, so we could see alright. It was just a tad too far back to take any really good pictures, tho, and the music comin over the PA system was ear-splittin, so I put my phone on vibrate, just in case THE CALL came thru. Then I got a text...from DAVID!!! 
It said that they wouldn't let us down, not to worry, they weren't at the hotel yet, but they'd see us after Casey's set. I texted my thanks back & that we were all lookin forward to meetin them. Then we finally were able to breathe again & relax a lil bit...and we were very happy! 
Hunter Hayes came on stage to play & he was very entertaining...the dinner was buffet style, so we had to get up to get our food, but I took that phone with me, just in Casey! Right near the end of Hunter's set, my phone vibrated again...it was another text from DAVID!!! He asked if we could come to one of the meetin rooms right NOW...I said lemme think about it...hah! I texted back “sure” & told Painter & NCG to come on!!! We moved outta there like Commandos on a mission to save the free world...
We found a nice lady who said she'd take us to the meetin room & before we knew it, we were in the same room with CASEY!!!!!!!!!! (in his robe & pajamas!!!!) 
There were some other people in there for what I guess was a radio station meet & greet...David introduced us as “special friends” and we waited until they were all done before it was our turn. This was my first glimpse of Casey up close & personal....I gotta tell y'all....pictures don't do him justice....he is INFINITELY more gawjus in person!!! I had brought with me all the pictures he'd signed...on one of them he'd written “Get well soon & come get a HUG!”...so I got that one out, as well as the donation check to give him, and waited for my turn. Casey looked up at us & he recognized Painter...his face lit up the whole room & he said “Hi!!! It's great to see you again!!” I'm kinda fuzzy about what happened next, but then I was standin in front of him & showin him the “HUG” picture he'd signed...I told him I had come to collect it & he said, “Well, here it is!” Then he gave me the biggest, bestest bear hug I have ever had in my life!!!! It was sheer heaven....he just holds on for dear life. I totally forgot to sniff him...or even breathe!!!
When the hug was over, he still kinda had his arm around me for a while....awwww, So Sweet!!! Then I told him that not only did his fans pay my expenses, but look at what else they did & I showed him the check. He was absolutely blown away by it....he was almost speechless. I think he got a lil bit choked up...the look on his face was pure awe. I told him that it was his fans showing their “Caseyness”, spreading love & good works...he said, “You're too kind”...and I told him “No, Casey, this is all because of YOU & your music...you have touched so many people by your example.” He was so humble & appreciative...listenin so intently to what I was sayin...it was just incredible!
Then I told him how his struggle with the accident served as my inspiration thru my battle...that I thought of him in that wheel chair tryin to learn how to walk & play guitar again, and I'd think “If Casey can do THAT, then I can do this”...and he said “Awwww” & he gave me ANOTHER enormous hug...OMG!!! I just about died that very moment! He is the sweetest, most adorable Dawlin ever & I'm getting choked up just rememberin it all.
At some point I asked him to do a special favor for me & he said he would.
I also invited him to New Orleans & he said he'd love to come, that he has family there! Then I asked him to sign my tee shirt & he wrote “That was a great hug! Great to meet you! Love, CJ”
I thanked him & it was over...time to let Painter & NCG have some face time with him. We took a group picture, which was fun because the radio station guys & David were all takin pictures with our various cameras & kept messin up, so we'd hafta pose again & again!!! We all thanked David & then went back to the ballroom for Casey's set.
The Excellent Adventures of Casey's Special Friends
As many of you know, I am a very recent breast cancer survivor & my goal over the past year has been to get well enough to attend a Casey concert. His story & his music both touched my heart & served as a compelling inspiration in my battle with this disease. Having followed him since “that TV show”, I've been lucky enough to meet so many of his amazing fans online thru Twitter and FaceBook, but most significantly thru Shari Geller's The Casey James Blog. One truly special fan in particular, Marie Leatham, had the idea of sponsoring me to go to Casey's concert in Roanoke, VA on October 14th, at the annual Pajama Jam Breast Cancer Benefit held there in conjunction with a local radio station. Marie put the idea out there, and Casey's awesome fans responded with true “Caseyness”, raising not only enough money to pay my expenses, but also enough to make a $1,312.00 donation to the American Cancer Society in Casey's name. The following is the story of that magical evening.
I flew into Roanoke from New Orleans Friday afternoon & I was greeted by my dear friend, Painter, as I like to call her. She has been attendin Casey concerts all year & gettin Casey to sign pictures for me at nearly every show, as well as lettin me listen to him play via her cell phone. She had a few surprises up her sleeve, it turned out...I turned around & there was another dear friend, NorthCountryGirl!!! NCG, as we call her, filled in when Painter couldn't at gettin Casey to sign pictures for me at his shows. Then we went outside and there was a black stretch LIMO waitin to take us to the hotel!!!!! We were giddy like little kiddies the whole way there. Roanoke is a beautiful place, and the hotel was simply splendid. We went to our room to freshen up & then went out to get a bite to eat.
Earlier in the week leadin up to the show, I had been informed that David, Casey's Sony guy, would be callin me to discuss & coordinate my meetin with Casey (SQUEE!), so every time my cell phone made a noise, the three of us would jump with anticipation. Of course, there was a copious amount of textin back & forth with Marie,so we got LOTS of exercise...
Back at the hotel, we checked out the arrangements for the show, which included a dinner & silent auction. We found out that we'd hafta line up outside in the courtyard to register & wait for the doors to the ballroom to open at 6 p.m. Now, just picture this...we're all in our pj's & there's a gale force wind blowin out there & the line was around-the-corner long! I was freezin my brand new boobies off... but it was well worth it to see Casey!!! And keep in mind, that all this time, we're waitin for that call from David...we got word from Marie that it would be around the time sound check was goin on, so we settled down to wait....impatiently, I'm afraid. Well, sound check came & went without a phone call, so I began to think it wasn't gonna happen....you ALL know how guys are...they SAY they'll call but they never DO!
... We cheered ourselves up by plannin to see Casey after the show when we hoped he'd come out to sign autographs & take pics with the fans. Finally, the doors opened & the line began movin....we were almost at the end of it, so by the time we got inside all the tables up front had been claimed. We found a spot in the very back, but centrally located, so we could see alright. It was just a tad too far back to take any really good pictures, tho, and the music comin over the PA system was ear-splittin, so I put my phone on vibrate, just in case THE CALL came thru. Then I got a text...from DAVID!!! It said that they wouldn't let us down, not to worry, they weren't at the hotel yet, but they'd see us after Casey's set. I texted my thanks back & that we were all lookin forward to meetin them. Then we finally were able to breathe again & relax a lil bit...and we were very happy! Hunter Hayes came on stage to play & he was very entertaining...the dinner was buffet style, so we had to get up to get our food, but I took that phone with me, just in Casey! Right near the end of Hunter's set, my phone vibrated again...it was another text from DAVID!!!
He asked if we could come to one of the meetin rooms right NOW...I said lemme think about it...hah! I texted back “sure” & told Painter & NCG to come on!!! We moved outta there like Commandos on a mission to save the free world... We found a nice lady who said she'd take us to the meetin room & before we knew it, we were in the same room with CASEY!!!!!!!!!! (in his robe & pajamas!!!!) There were some other people in there for what I guess was a radio station meet & greet...David introduced us as “special friends” and we waited until they were all done before it was our turn. This was my first glimpse of Casey up close & personal....I gotta tell y'all....pictures don't do him justice....he is INFINITELY more gawjus in person!!! I had brought with me all the pictures he'd signed...on one of them he'd written “Get well soon & come get a HUG!”...so I got that one out, as well as the donation check to give him, and waited for my turn. Casey looked up at us & he recognized Painter...his face lit up the whole room & he said “Hi!!! It's great to see you again!!” I'm kinda fuzzy about what happened next, but then I was standin in front of him & showin him the “HUG” picture he'd signed...I told him I had come to collect it & he said, “Well, here it is!” Then he gave me the biggest, bestest bear hug I have ever had in my life!!!! It was sheer heaven....he just holds on for dear life. I totally forgot to sniff him...or even breathe!!!
When the hug was over, he still kinda had his arm around me for a while....awwww, So Sweet!!! Then I told him that not only did his fans pay my expenses, but look at what else they did & I showed him the check. He was absolutely blown away by it....he was almost speechless. I think he got a lil bit choked up...the look on his face was pure awe. I told him that it was his fans showing their “Caseyness”, spreading love & good works...he said, “You're too kind”...and I told him “No, Casey, this is all because of YOU & your music...you have touched so many people by your example.” He was so humble & appreciative...listenin so intently to what I was sayin...it was just incredible!
Then I told him how his struggle with the accident served as my inspiration thru my battle...that I thought of him in that wheel chair tryin to learn how to walk & play guitar again, and I'd think “If Casey can do THAT, then I can do this”...and he said “Awwww” & he gave me ANOTHER enormous hug...OMG!!! I just about died that very moment! He is the sweetest, most adorable Dawlin ever & I'm getting choked up just rememberin it all.
At some point I asked him to do a special favor for me & he said he would.
I also invited him to New Orleans & he said he'd love to come, that he has family there! Then I asked him to sign my tee shirt & he wrote “That was a great hug! Great to meet you! Love, CJ”
I thanked him & it was over...time to let Painter & NCG have some face time with him. We took a group picture, which was fun because the radio station guys & David were all takin pictures with our various cameras & kept messin up, so we'd hafta pose again & again!!! We all thanked David & then went back to the ballroom for Casey's set.
Thank you to Barbara for sharing her wonderful and heartwarming story with all of us!!! We love you sweet lady!! We're so happy you finally got to meet Casey!! He is just a doll, and was so sweet to you!!! Congratulations in a BIG way!!!!!!!!
Now.....where's my kleenex!! happy tears.....happy tears..... :)
