Taylor Swift sends note to nurse on COVID frontlines

DUBLIN, Georgia (AP):

A Dublin flight nurse had one of her wildest dreams come true this week when Taylor Swift sent her a handwritten note and a box of clothes and other merchandise after reading about her journey in The Telegraph.

Britta Thomason, a Middle Georgia native, recently shared with The Telegraph her love of Swift’s music during an interview that focused on her career as a flight nurse on the frontlines of COVID-19. Monday, Thomason got a call indicating a package from Swift’s team was on its way to her.

“I know that Taylor does this sort of thing. At that point, I was freaking out,” Thomason said. “I was shaking. It was the most surreal thing. I love Taylor. I grew up with her music. We are the same age. I feel like all the points in her life that she wrote her songs about just resonated with me.”

Inside the package was a handwritten note with Thomason’s name doodled on the back of the card.

“Dear Britta,” the note read, “I wanted to write to you and personally thank you for serving on the front lines of this pandemic and for being brave enough to put yourself in danger to help others. I am so inspired by your passion for helping and caring for your patients, and I was so touched that you mentioned liking my music recently! I’ve sent you some cosy clothes for when you’re off duty. I’ll be thinking about you, and forever grateful. Love, Taylor.”

Beneath the note were stacks of clothes and other merchandise, including items from Swift’s recently-released Evermore album. But for Thomason, the handwritten note is the most special item.

“I just picture her sitting in an apartment with her cats Olivia and Meredith running around, and she is just doodling my name,” Thomason said. “She sent me a blanket. It is so warm and cosy. And it reminds me of her song You All Over Me. The whole experience has been awesome.”

Thomason considers the note a ‘thank you’ to healthcare workers across the world.

“I think on a bigger scale globally, she’s essentially saying to everybody that does this, ‘Thank you for what you do, and you’re appreciated,’” she said. “I hope that there’s other nurses, healthcare providers, paramedics and physicians who take it personally, that she’s saying to them, ‘Great job and thank you.’”

Since Monday, Thomason has received an outpouring of love from Swift fans.

“The fan base is so great. They’re just like, ‘We love you. We’re so proud of you. Thank you for what you do,’” Thomason said. “These are people that I’ve never met before, but simply because they’re Taylor Swift fans.”

Thomason was recovering from a cervical spine fusion and wasn’t able to work for the first few months of the pandemic. She said it was difficult to be a nurse and sit on the sidelines.

After she recovered, she worked as part of the Nurse Navigation Line for Global Medical Response crews deployed to New York and New Jersey. Thomason also leads the Air Evac Lifeteam base in Dublin.

“I know it’s a big deal, but [it’s] just an everyday thing for me. And I guess I just don’t think of it like that,” Thomason said. “I’m certainly glad that other people do and are recognising it. It has been a very cool experience.”