LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A big purple surprise for a military family who got a trip of a lifetime: watching BTS on the band’s last night in Las Vegas. It’s all thanks to the help of a nonprofit.
“I was just confused at first and I was just, I wasn’t expecting it," said 13-year-old Alexis Dekluiver.
Alexis is still in disbelief about getting to watch her favorite band, BTS, perform live in Las Vegas.
“I was nervous because it’s very big, I feel like.”
It’s a big deal after being surprised with BTS tickets by the Inspire Up Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at empowering and building bridges for military and civilian families.
CEO Maria Reed and another military spouse, Yvonne Coombes, went to Fort Irwin, two hours south of Las Vegas in the southern California desert to break the news.
“Stormed into the coffee shop, with a big sign and asked, 'is someone named Alexis here'?”
Dekluiver was met with purple love and made the trip with her family to Las Vegas.
“They’ve been helpful with all of this. They do actually listen to BTS too, and it’s brought me and my family closer together.”
Her father, sergeant first class Michael Dekluiver is stationed at Fort Irwin serving 16 years in the Army. He’s now part of the benevolent invasion of another army, the BTS Army.
RELATED STORY: Excitement builds around BTS in Las Vegas
“The beat of their music caught me first, and now 80 to 90 percent of our household is BTS music in the background," Michael said.
He says this trip means the world to his daughter who has been bullied for her love of K-pop.
“To actually bring her here and experience it up close as a parent makes you happy," Michael said
All this comes as April marks the Month of the Military Child with purple being the official color of the celebration, the same color as the BTS Army. Coombes says the coincidence was striking.
“They are like a family, just like our Army family. So, it’s so fitting they’re called the BTS Army because we see so many similarities,” she said.
Alexis says ultimately, she wants the band’s message of love and inclusion to spread.
The nonprofit says despite the concert tickets being sold out, through some efforts they were able to secure tickets for the family to make their trip a reality.
