Taylor Swift's Tribute to a Child Cancer Victim and His Mom Might Make You Cry

Taylor Swift got emotional during her 1989 concert in Glendale, AZ, on Monday. The singer, who has been grabbing headlines for her performances with surprise guests, moved the audience with a solo performance of "Ronan." Taylor wrote the song about a little boy who died of cancer when he was 4 years old. "There's a woman here tonight named Maya Thompson," Taylor said, mentioning her cowriter. "And she has lived in this area and brought her kids up in this area. And I wouldn't know half as much as I know about childhood cancer and childhood cancer research if she hadn't shared her story about her son Ronan."

The 25-year-old singer put on a brave face as she recognized Maya's entries on her touching blog, Rockstar Ronan. "I would read it every night and in it was this account of what it's like to watch cancer take over your life," Taylor said. "And since then, I've had cancer hit really close to me in my family." You may recall Taylor telling her fans about her mom's cancer diagnosis in a heartfelt note on Tumblr back in April. Watch the moving performance above, and then check out Taylor's sweet performance for her godson.