Kilee Brookbank is the Ohio teenager who survived an explosion at her home during the fall of 2014. She was featured on the February 5 episode of Doctors where she was surprised by her celebrity crush, Justin Bieber. You can watch the heartwarming clip above.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. She Had Burns on 45% of Her Body
According to the official website of Doctors, back in the fall of 2014, Kilee came home from school one day to find a strange smell in her house. To try to get rid of the smell, she lit a candle. The smell she was smelling was natural gas. The lit candle caused an explosion at her house. After being taken to a children’s hospital, it was determined that Kilee was burned on 45 percent of her body, 20 percent of which were third degree. The show’s plastic surgeon, Dr. Andrew Ordon told her, “You’re lucky to be alive. That is a potentially deadly injury.”
2. Bieber Called Kilee ‘Inspiring’ & ‘So Special’
She was then surprised by her crush, music superstar Justin Bieber. Love him or loathe him, this was a pretty classy moment. The crew at Doctors also gave her a $4,000 gift card to the store Apt 2B. The Bieber also posted this photo of the encounter to his Instagram.
Met someone really special today. Her strength inspires me
After the show aired, the hashtag “#KileemeetJB” became a term.
3. According to Her Facebook, She Has a Boyfriend
Kilee pictured with her boyfriend before her accident. (Facebook)
According to her Facebook page, Kilee is from Ripley, Ohio, where she attends Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington High School Her page also says she’s dating a boy named Dylan, I wonder how he feels about her meeting the Biebs.
4. Kilee Was Told to Keep Quiet About Bieber’s Appearance
A spokesperson for Paramount Studios, where Doctors is filmed, told Maysville Online that “In her pre-interview information she revealed he was her favorite singer and we usually try to do something special for people like her who appear on the show. She was such a big fan, and he really helped get the word out about her being on the show.” McKinnon added that Kilee was bound by confidentiality agreements about her appearance on the show, but after it aired McKinnon said “she can talk all she wants about it.”
5. She Isn’t the First Sick Fan that Justin Has Visited
Justin Bieber may have a controversial reputation in some circles but he’s also known to be very loyal to his sick fans. Famously in January 2013, he delayed a Utah concert so that he could visit a fan, Millie Flamm, who had been suffering with leukemia.