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OGDEN — There's just one week left until U2 performs at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Fans in Utah will pack the seats, but there's one woman who really can't wait for the show. She may be U2's biggest and smallest fan.
Spend just a second in 27-year-old Elsha Stockseth's Ogden bedroom and you'll know who her favorite band is. The pictures, the books, the quotes, and maybe best of all a certain lead singer's signature sunglasses all point to U2.
"This is only, like, the third time I've tried them on," Elsha said as she put the glasses on.
Yeah, Bono has a special place in Elsha's heart — a heart that's bigger than you would ever guess.
"She has such a big heart for being in such a small body. Her heart is just as large as she is," said Joel Stockseth, Elsha's father.
Elsha was born with a form of muscular dystrophy that keeps her from walking or moving around much. Her body is small, especially her arms.
But her ears? They're perfect — especially when she first listened to U2 and heard those messages of hope.
"No matter what happens, just keep going and don't give up," Elsha said.
Elsha has been to about a dozen U2 concerts. She's met the band and been backstage with them. That's where the pictures, the autographs, and the sunglasses came from.
To this day, Elsha still talks about the time she went to see U2 in Park City but didn't have tickets.
"Bono came by and he was like, ‘Hey,' know you. And we were talking to him, and he's like, ‘Don't you want to come inside?' And I'm like, ‘Well, we don't really have any tickets.' He said, ‘Come in. We'll get you some,'" Elsha said.
Yeah, Bono remembered her from previous meetings. She thinks he'll remember her next week too.
"So hopefully we'll be able to meet him again," Elsha said.
Following the band's example of charity work, Elsha designs Christmas cards. She uses that money to send relief supplies to orphanages in Africa and South America. So she's not just a fan of U2's lyrics, she's a believer as well.
"They're really nice people," said Joel, "and they always want to do good in the world."
Email: acabrero@ksl.com
