Touching story from Children's Medical Center

When Becky Randolph of Southlake learned that pop star David Archuleta would perform a concert in Dallas, all she could think about was going.

"It was the only thing I wanted for Christmas," she said.

Becky's Christmas wish came true Friday evening when she was able to attend and even met the teenage singer-songwriter in person.

"It was so awesome," she said.

Becky, 13, suffers from spina bifida, a birth defect that affects the backbone and spinal column.

Becky's parents, Brigitte and Michael Randolph, wanted to make her dream come true and bought tickets to the concert. But they were unable to make arrangements for handicapped seating at the Majestic Theatre.

"I called and left messages, but I never heard back," Brigitte Randolph said. "Becky had been in so much pain before the concert that I knew there was no way she could tolerate not being able to sit in her power chair.

"I was in a panic so I got down on my knees and prayed to God, asking for a miracle so Becky could go," she said.

Then the phone rang. April Sutton, development coordinator at Children's Medical Center in Dallas, called to tell the family that the hospital would provide the tickets and make arrangements for Becky to attend the concert in her chair.

It turns out that an elf had intervened.

The Randolphs' next door neighbor Heather Trumpfheller learned of Becky's problem while home for Thanksgiving break. Heather, a junior at the University of Missouri, stops by to see Becky and her twin sister, Rianna, whenever she is in Southlake. Rianna does not have spina bifida.

"I used to babysit the girls, and I'm still very close to them," she said. "Becky really adores David Archuleta and probably has 100 pictures of him in her room. I know how much this meant to her."

Heather had contacted local radio stations and Children's to find some free tickets for the family. Unbeknownst to Heather, the Randolphs purchased three seats for Becky, Brigitte Randolph and Becky's best friend, Nicki Sue Green.

The hospital offered additional seats for Becky's father and sister as well as the opportunity to meet Archuleta in pre-concert session with select guests.

"We are still pinching ourselves," Randolph said. "We can't stop smiling.

"David Archuletta is so sweet and kind, and he was so nice to Becky."

Archuletta wrote in an e-mail that meeting Becky was a pleasure.

"Being a patient at a hospital can be really tough especially during the holiday season," he wrote. "Spending time with her is a simple way to help, and there is nothing like seeing the smile on her face."

Becky has been a patient at Children's for several years and had several surgeries there, including one last summer.

Efforts to control Becky's pain haven't been as successful as the family had hoped, and Becky had been in extreme pain the week before the concert. She hasn't been able to attend all her classes at Carroll Middle School.

"She had been very depressed lately because of the pain," Mrs. Randolph said. "We worried about her even being able to go to the concert."

Becky was able to get dressed up, put on her makeup and get her nails polished for the concert. She and Nicki Sue had priority seating away from the rest of family so Becky could feel like an average teenage girl going to her first concert.

"I felt good all night," Becky said.

Becky said she has felt a special kinship with Archuleta ever since she first saw him perform on the seventh season of American Idol a few years ago. Archuleta had suffered briefly from vocal chord paralysis, which also was one of Becky's complications.

The Randolphs said they believe that the events that allowed Becky to attend the concert as well as her meeting with her teen idol are nothing short of a miracle.

"We believe that God does perform miracles," Brigitte Randolph said. "We believe that he hears our prayers and that he made this happen for her. We believe that we will also see relief from her pain and suffering."

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