Ariana Grande Delights Young Cancer Warrior with Wicked-Themed Care Package
Ariana Grande recently sent a curated care package to 9-year-old influencer Brielle Bird, who is chronicling her stage 4 cancer journey online.
Hi, I’m Riley Carter and I’m only slightly moved.
Okay, but like, why is this a thing? The pop star and r.e.m. beauty founder decided to pull a Good Witch move on August 7 when she dropped off not one but two surprise packages for Brielle Bird via UPS. Brie, as she calls herself on her Instagram handle @briestrongerthancancer, documented the unboxing in a video that’s already racked up thousands of views and comments of pure delight.
The first box was practically a scene from Oz. In her Glinda pink dress, Brie peeled back the tape to reveal a custom hot pink tumbler and six plush Squishmallows featuring Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, the Wizard of Oz, and of course Elphaba and Glinda. Brie couldn’t help but gush that “Elphaba is pretty kind in the movie, even though she’s the Wicked Witch of the West.” Owning her inner nerd, she pointed out that the Wizard is “not smart” for banning animals from talking, which is totally fair commentary.
The second box kept the whimsy coming with a bunny stuffed toy wearing Glinda’s iconic gown, a set of pastel nail polishes, two ruffled makeup bags, and a hand-scrawled note “from the land of Oz.” Then came a bottle of Ariana’s signature Cloud perfume and several skin-loving formulas from r.e.m. beauty, which is a sneaky way to say Grande sealed the deal between fan moment and brand plug without even blinking.
The cherry on top was a personal video from Ariana herself. “Hi Brie, it’s Ariana,” the singer begins in her trademark gentle tone. She explains she assembled the gifts because she heard Brielle loves Wicked and Glinda. “My personal favorite part is the Squishmallows—they’re very comfy and cute,” Grande says before calling Brie “the most amazing, most inspiring little light beam in this universe.” Cue the virtual hugs and a whole lot of heart emojis flooding Brie’s comments.
This thoughtful gesture lands amid a wave of celebrities exposing their own battles with cancer. From a beloved soap star revealing a third prostate cancer diagnosis to reality TV personalities and Golden Bachelor contestants sharing their diagnoses, the community of high-profile survivors is growing. Even actors from The Boys and Supernatural franchises have gone public about their health scares, reminding us that cancer does not discriminate—nor does kindness.
Grande’s Nice Witch moment has lit up social feeds and put a spotlight on Brielle’s courage. It’s a reminder that genuine support can come wrapped in fandom and sprinkled with a little Oz magic. Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, Instagram, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
