Bruce Springsteen Makes Dying Woman’s Dream Come True

Dream Foundation Continues to Grant Dreams for Terminally Ill Adults

Legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen generously opened his heart to Karen Marquadt, an ovarian cancer patient with only three weeks to live, during the Los Angeles stop on his Working on a Dream tour. With the help of the non-profit Dream Foundation, Springsteen arranged for front row seats for Marquadt, 51, and three friends at his April 16 show at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Prior to the concert, Marquadt and her friends spent time with “The Boss” in his dressing room. During the show, Springsteen dedicated “Backstreets” to her, saying, “This is for Karen.”

“To get the most devastating news of your whole life and then get the best news of your life in one week was crazy, but Dream Foundation made me feel like ‘Queen for a Day,’” said Marquadt. “I actually got to kiss him. We went to his dressing room in the Sports Arena before the show and he was all by himself. He gave me a really big hug. I’ve been trying to meet him for 35 years, ever since I saw him in a gym in Santa Barbara. I’ve seen him in concert as many times as I could over the years. I once paid $2,000 for tickets. This was the most wonderful day of my life.”

Marquadt lives in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

The Dream Foundation, founded in Santa Barbara in 1994, is the first and only national wish granting organization for adults suffering life-limiting illness. The mission of the Dream Foundation is to enhance the quality of life for individuals, and their families, at the end of life’s journey. Dream Foundation helps adults find peace and closure with the realization of a final wish. For more information on how to help, go to www.dreamfoundation.org. The Dream Foundation would be very grateful for donated airline miles, in-kind contributions, volunteers, and monetary contributions.

Contacts

Dream Foundation
Jackie Waddill, 805-564-2131, ext. 108
Jackie {at} dreamfoundation(.)org