REGINA -- A Saskatchewan couple awoke Thursday to a big surprise after a TikTok of their daughter went viral overnight, capturing the attention of pop star Halsey.
Bella, 7, and her parents Kyla and Lyle Thomson live on an acreage near Swift Current, Sask. A video of Bella drawing on TikTok has gained upwards of 10 million views since it was posted on Wednesday afternoon.
Kyla had turned off her notifications on her phone before heading to bed on Wednesday only to awake to find she had a message from Halsey. It was Bella’s love for art and song that captured the singer’s attention.
“She said, ‘I saw your daughter’s video on TikTok and I started watching your Instagram videos,’” Kyla told CTV News about the message from the American pop artist. “She said Bella’s love for music and art really touched her, and that she wanted to send Bella a care package.”
Bella was born with cartilage-hair hypoplasia (CHH) – a genetic condition that may be the cause of a small stature. She also has severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and a condition that has her on the list for a bowel transplant.
While this is her first time going viral, Kyla has been sharing Bella’s medical journey since she was born on her blog and social media accounts.
“It was my only outlet for my mental health,” said Kyla. “What really helped me is the amount of people that reached back to me and said look, what you wrote, what you said, what you shared has helped me.”
Bella’s medical challenges have not taken away her spirit or her hopes for the future.
When asked what she wants to be when she grows up Bella said, “An artist, a singer and a ballerina.”
Kyla told CTV News that despite all of her hardships, Bella continues to find joy in music and art.
“We just want to help others get through hard times,” Kyla said.
Bella’s medical journey has been documented by her parents on Instagram and on their YouTube account.
