Scone "Swiftie" Olivia Kennedy burst into tears of joy when gifted two tickets to Taylor Swift's final Sydney concert.
On Monday night the 10-year-old will watch her idol perform live from a corporate box organised by radio presenter and actor Kate Ritchie.
Olivia's parents Kim and Peter had tried for months to buy or win tickets to one of Swift's Australian concerts without success. The clock was ticking. Their last hope was Sydney radio station Nova 96.9, who on February 15 gave 30 die-hard Swifties a chance to win a double pass.
On a mission, the family drove to Sydney to compete in a paintball competition hosted by Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie of Nova 96.9.
Peter was the first to be evicted from the challenge after being struck by Kate (in the backside) with a paintball.
Ten minutes later, Kim was also eliminated.
Olivia put on a brave face but could not hide her tears.
Ritchie consoled each competitor after the game and said her goodbyes but couldn't stop thinking about the Kennedy family. She had to help.
And so Ritchie and Wippa hopped on a plane from Sydney to Scone last week, surprising Olivia with a bright pink, sparkly briefcase containing two tickets to Taylor Swift in "Kate's Suite Seats" and a friendship bracelet.
Olivia was speechless and burst into tears ... this time of happiness.
Ritchie spoke to the Newcastle Herald this morning about the experience.
"You know, it feels like the Olympics all over again in Sydney ... the vibe and the feeling of joy ... Taylor Swift has done so much more for people than purely performing on stage," she said.
"The connection she has created among so many people - mums and dads and daughters and music lovers - it's been such a lovely thing to be part of."
Ritchie lives with a Swiftie - her nine-year-old daughter - and says she loves being able to sing along to songs in the car with her that are "go girl".
"We can sing the sloppiest of love songs and then scream out 'we are never ever ever ever getting back together' ... it's been a nice experience for mums and dads to be reminded of what it's like to be that age and be excited about something.
"Let's be honest, over the last few years there hasn't been a lot to be super excited about!
"And if our kids are going to look up to anyone, and we're going to sing their songs in the car, I would much rather it be Taylor Swift than a very long list of other pop stars that we've seen over the years."
Ritchie was a bit sheepish about shooting Peter in the backside with a paintball but was impressed by the Kennedy family.
"Olivia and her parents were disappointed (I saw some very quiet little tears from mum and daughter) but still so appreciative of the experience," she explained.
"Peter was a very good sport and I had a good chat with them afterwards, partly because they were from Scone and my mum is a Merriwa girl.
"I asked him if he worked in the mines and he said 'We're driving back now and I have to start a shift in the mines tonight'.
"The number of dads we've had calling our shows, or that I've seen on the news and on socials, trying to get tickets for their daughters ... Peter represents all the dads, you know?"
In the car back to the studio following the paintball challenge, still thinking about the Kennedys, Ritchie said: "Is this the craziest idea you've ever heard, or can we go to Scone to deliver the final two tickets?"
Ten days later, she and Wippa were on a plane to Scone.
"Olivia said she thought mum had been acting a bit strange: 'Why am I having the day off school, why is mum tidying the house?'," Ritchie said, laughing.
"It was such an amazing experience."
