Photo: Getty Images
Luke Bryan reunited with a Make-A-Wish alum after more than a decade.
Ashley, now 28, met the five-time Entertainer of the Year in 2015, while she was undergoing treatment for a rare cancer. Now cancer-free, Ashley shared that she associates Bryan’s music with “a lot of happy memories and good times in my life.” She remembered looking up to the Georgia-born country star, and she knew she wanted to meet him. Her wish was granted at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, where she met Bryan at a meet-and-greet before his concert.
“I’ll never forget… the first two words that Luke Bryan said to me were, ‘hey, darlin’!’” Ashley said. “He was so kind, and so genuine, and so sweet, and spent a good amount of time talking to me and my family and just asking about my experience. And it was really special.”
In a full-circle moment, Bryan surprised Ashley — who didn’t know she’d get to talk with Bryan again — while she reminisced on her experience. The pair reunited when she attended a live taping of American Idol in Los Angeles, California. Bryan returned to the show as a judge, alongside Lionel Richie and 2005 Idol winner Carrie Underwood.
Bryan, who’s gearing up for his headlining “Word On The Street Tour” and other performance dates, said he’s been “so blessed in my journey in music and in life. …So, when we can have those moments like that, that really motivate or put her [Ashley] in a good mood, or any Make-A-Wish kid, it’s really amazing to be in that scenario, in that position. I’ve always cherished it. I always felt like it’s just a little way to give back and give smiles and pay things forward,” Bryan said. “It’s certainly been overwhelmingly fulfilling for me through the years.”
Bryan and Make-A-Wish shared a few photos on Instagram on Tuesday evening (April 7), including from his reunion with Ashley and from the meet-and-greet in 2015. Make-A-Wish states that “moments like this remind us just how life‑changing AND long-lasting the power of a wish can be. April is World Wish Month.” See the Instagram post and reunion photos below.
Bryan is part of the star-studded lineup of the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival. The show also includes Carly Pearce, Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Shaboozey, Dylan Scott, Russell Dickerson, Gretchen Wilson, Chase Matthew, Lauren Alaina and special guest George Birge. iHeartRadio's Bobby Bones is returning as the event’s host. The show will take place on May 2 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Tickets to the show are available as of January 23. Fans across the country will be able to catch all the action as the 2026 iHeartCountry Festival will be broadcast live across iHeartCountry stations nationwide and the free iHeartRadio app on Saturday, May 2nd at 8pm ET/5pm PT (7pm CT).
Photo: Submitted