Young open heart surgery survivor from Clovis shines on stage with country singer Lainey Wilson

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Clovis girl's dream came true when she met country music star Lainey Wilson during her concert at Visalia's Fox Theatre on January 14.

Davey Jean is a 3rd grader at Garfield Elementary in Clovis, and she's one of Wilson's biggest fans, from head to bell bottom covered toe.

Davey told Action News she loves the song "Atta Girl," and her mom's favorite is "Hold My Halo."

But the song that really resonates with Davey and her mother, Brittney Stanley, is "Heart Like a Truck."

Stanley explains, "Heart Like a Truck has a really special meaning for us because Davey's tough. She's had 5 surgeries, and she's only 9 years old."

Davey was born with heart defects and endured her first surgery at just 11 weeks old.

Stanley says, "The heart stuff is a piece of it, but she has a genetic condition called 22Q that caused the heart problems, and she's had a lot of other stuff that's gone on too, including her hearing, her palate, her speech, the journey's been long."

Loud sounds used to be difficult for Davey, but that's one of many obstacles she's overcome. So this Christmas her proud mom and Santa surprised Davey with tickets to see her idol. They went to the concert carrying bright and sparkly signs, including one referencing Davey's open heart surgery. It caught the eye of Wilson's photographer, who soon led them up on stage.

The singer embraced Davey and told the crowd, "If anybody's got a heart like a truck, it's her. Come on, make some noise!"

Wilson went on to autograph Davey's poster before singing the hit song that inspired it. The Yellowstone actress also posted about the special moment on her Instagram page, and the story was picked up nationwide by country music media. Stanley says seeing her daughter shine in the spotlight touches her heart because of how far Davey has come and the opportunity to help others.

"We've spent her whole life trying to spread awareness, and being there for other families, and to be able to have Lainey help us spread the word even more is amazing," Stanley said.