Thirteen-year-old Devarje “DJ” Daniel is hoping to raise funds for children battling cancer — and he needs Jason Aldean‘s help to do it.
The young boy, who was first diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer at six years old in 2018, put out a call on TikTok this week, hoping to catch Aldean’s attention.
“Hey, does anybody know Jason Aldean? ‘Cause we’re trying to do a country show down here to raise money for kids with cancer,” DJ says in the clip, which was posted to singer and police officer Chris Darlington’s TikTok page.
DJ has made headlines several times over the past few months. A Texas native who wants to be a police officer when he grows up, he was sworn in as an honorary Secret Service agent by U.S. president Donald Trump’s administration in early March.
By the end of May, he was sworn in as an honorary law enforcement agent by more than 1300 agencies, according to People.
Of course, Aldean counts Trump as a friend, and he played the president’s inaugural Liberty Ball in January. So even though the country star hasn’t publicly responded to DJ’s request as of this week, it’s entirely possible that the young boy’s message will reach the country superstar.
Though DJ has seen some dreams come true in recent months, he has also experienced health setbacks. People reports that he was given just five months to live when he was first diagnosed, but DJ beat the odds, and underwent more than 13 brain surgeries over the years after her diagnosis.
At a May 17 swearing-in ceremony at the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, DJ’s father Theodis Daniel told FOX 7 that he has three new tumors.
“It’s rough,” Theodis related. “There isn’t a class that can teach you how to deal with it. You’re hearing that your child has a nasty disease.”
“We’re just going around showing people, ‘Hey, you do care for one another.’ Let’s give compassion, and let’s try to join and help each other get through things,” he continued.
Aldean has a lengthy history of supporting cancer patients, including a longstanding presence as part of country radio’s partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The singer also frequently performs and speaks in support of funding for breast cancer research.
62 Artists Not in the Country Music Hall of Fame
Which county singer is most deserving of a Country Music Hall of Fame induction? Here are 62 artists who don’t have a medallion yet, with some thoughts on when each is eligible and if their fans can expect that nod soon.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
