RICHLAND, Miss.- Alisha Thames is a mother, wife, teacher, and breast cancer survivor. She is described as more than just the special education teacher at Richland High, but the “Mama you wish you had” by students.
Alisha was also diagnosed with breast cancer which she hid from her children and students as long as she could, to protect them from the pain of watching her go through illness. But when her hair began to fall out from chemo, the gig was up.
Because of everything she does for others, and the battle she had faced herself, Thames’s husband Cliff wanted to give her the experience of a lifetime– so he wrote to TODAY as part of the #PinkPowerToday series to do just that.
Hoda Kotb then helped arrange for Alisha to meet Luke Bryan, a well-known country superstar.
Alisha thought she was just participating in a documentary about special education teachers, until the surprise was announced and she and her husband were handed cowboy hats, put in a limo, and taken to the concert.
That’s when Alisha met the country star right before the performance.
Tomorrow on TODAY: @LukeBryanOnline and @hodakotb surprise a deserving Mississippi special ed teacher! #PinkPowerToday pic.twitter.com/mn2LA387wp
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 27, 2016
According to TODAY Luke Bryan said, “We love doing this, (to Thames), sorry for everything you’ve been going through. We know it’s a struggle. Glad you’re beaten it. Awesome.”
Thames is currently in remission from her cancer.
News Mississippi has reached out to Richland High for comment and is awaiting a response.
