Demi Lovato is using her platform to show some support for the survivors of the tragic Parkland shooting. Monday night, Lovato invited five students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida where the incident occurred, to the opening night of her worldwide Tell Me You Love Me tour.
The 25-year-old singer and mental health advocate announced, “Tonight was our first night of the tour and it was incredibly special. I was able to bring out and meet a few of the students that had to experience the shooting in Florida on the 14th. It was such an honor to meet them and hear their courageous stories. I want to make sure their voices are being heard and we can provide them with the mental health and post-trauma care they need.” Lovato organized the impromptu benefit so that concert-goers had the option to text in donations to the CAST Foundation, which she co-owns, in order to support the victims of this traumatic event and ensure that they have access to the proper mental health services.
Among the survivors who joined Lovato on stage in San Diego were Julius Castillo, Mackenzie Marie Chapman, Samantha Megan Deitsch, Maia Hebron, Eden Hebron, and Sarah Stricker. The courage of the MSD students in the wake of this horrific incident also touched Mike Bayer, the founder of the CAST Centers that specialize in mental health treatment. “The courage and resolve that the students from Stoneman Douglas have is truly inspiring," Bayer said. "It was an honor to meet them and I’m glad they were able to join us tonight."
You can donate to the CAST Foundation here.
