Meeting an idol

Care center resident connects with his favorite singer

Brian Ewald talks to Jodi Jackson about his collection of photos of Trias. When Ewald arrived at the Flamingo to see Trias perform, he was surprised by his nurses, who had organized a meeting between him and Trias after the show. Brian Ewald reacts as he sees his favorite "American Idol" competitor Jasmine Trias perform at the Flamingo. Former "American Idol" competitor Jasmine Trias performs in Society of Seven at the Flamingo. Photos / SHELLY DONAHUE/VIEW Advertisement

Say the name Jasmine Trias and 47-year-old Brian Ewald's eyes light up like a Fourth of July night filled with fireworks.

His heart races, his excitement level skyrockets and he speaks volumes about the "American Idol" third-place finisher as if her visage is singing an R&B ballad in his mind.

Ever since the 20-year-old Hawaiian-born singer, who goes by the nickname Jazzy, was eliminated from the reality show on May 19, 2004, Ewald, who has cerebral palsy, had dreamed of the day he might meet her.

On Feb. 21, that dream came true when he arrived at the Flamingo hotel to see the afternoon performance of the Society of Seven featuring Trias.

"I don't know if he's going to cry or if he's going to laugh," said nurse Dawn Shaver, as Ewald left the Mountain View Care Center van that brought him from Boulder City to Las Vegas. "He's so excited, though, so excited."

The wheelchair-bound fan entered the building and was almost speechless when he was told he was at the Strip hotel to not only see, but meet in person, his idol.

"I'm so nervous," he said as the big glass doors opened to the clang of slot machines. "I don't know what to think. This is the best day of my life."

Within minutes, the showroom's host took Ewald and his entourage of nurses and media followers on a seldom-seen route to the orchestra pit area, through a slot machine-filled storage area and a tiled hallway that led from the kitchen to the showroom.

"We want you to have a good time, that's all we want," Shaver said, noting that Ewald had never been in a showroom before.

Once in place, he awaited the opening of the show like a kid in a candy shop.

"It's fast," said Shaver, who took Ewald's pulse after the announcer said there was five minutes until show time.

When Trias was introduced, Ewald became electrified, clapping and watching her every move as if his eyes were glued to the stage.

After the show, Ewald got to meet and speak with Trias, who presented him with a new CD boom box, her second and newest CD and an autographed photo. She even signed his Jasmine Trias notebook and album that contains every nugget of information and photo of her that he can get his hands on.

"She greeted me, and I had a teddy bear and some flowers to give to her and she signed my book," said Ewald. "It was overwhelming. We were there about 30 minutes. She was very nice."

When asked if he was going to share his excitement and the day's activities with his fellow patients at the care center, Ewald said with a smile, "If I recover."

None of this would have occurred for Ewald if it wasn't for Shaver, who began sending e-mails to Trias and her staff, saying Ewald was her biggest fan.

"He simply adores and idolizes you!" Shaver wrote Trias in the first of three e-mails on Dec. 7. "He has put together a photo album (with staff's help) of all your pictures, articles and anything he can get his hands on ... Whenever he can get someone to take him to the library, he spends his time looking for new articles or pictures of you that he prints off the computer.

"He knows all of your songs by heart and will sing them to anyone who will listen. He is a wonderful person who has had such a hard life. I am writing to you on his behalf, which he does not know. I didn't want to get his hopes up."

Shaver goes on to ask for a CD, a T-shirt or even a signed picture.

"I really don't expect anything from you, but it is in my heart to make Brian's day a little brighter by knowing that I tried to contact you and let you know that you have the biggest fan in him," she continued. "If you could just see the smile on his face whenever someone mentions your name. I have been trying to burn your songs on a CD for him to listen to, but he has to share the player with 84 other patients. I hope this letter finds you well and maybe you could help him out."

Shaver followed up her first e-mail about a month later and then a third one after that when she hadn't heard anything from the Trias camp.

"I'm not sure what the problem is here, but no one has called yet to check and see if they can help us out," Shaver responded. "Our whole facility is trying to help this disabled man meet Jasmine at her visit to the Flamingo or at least be able to have a pic (sic) taken with her, autograph, backstage pass, etc., whatever. I am trying my darnedest to make this happen for him and no one on this site seems to be able to do anything, so I am begging you for at least information as to what is the best way to contact Jasmine for her help.

"I am willing to talk to whoever it takes to make this happen for him."

Shaver eventually did make contact with the Trias camp and she, along with her fellow registered nurse Julie Ewell, got to accompany Ewald to the show and see him enjoy his special day.

"This means everything to me because this has been his dream for a year and a half," Shaver said. "When he talks about her, that smile of his is good enough for me."

When asked if he'd come to see her again, Ewald said, "You betcha."