Nine years after undergoing a life-saving heart transplant, 23-year-old Taylor Rand just reunited with pop superstar and “The Voice” coach Niall Horan, who was part of her Make-a-Wish experience years earlier.
On September 18, 2025, “The Today Show” reported that Rand is now thriving and working as a page for NBC in Los Angeles, where “The Voice” is filmed. When Rand told her supervisors that she met Horan at the 2017 American Music Awards while there with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, they set out to stage a touching, surprise reunion.
Niall Horan Says He Remembers Meeting Taylor Rand ‘So Well’
After Rand underwent her heart transplant in 2016, at age 14, she had one wish: to attend the American Music Awards. Since its founding in 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted over 350,000 wishes to kids suffering from critical illnesses, according to the organization’s press materials.
Make-A-Wish made Rand’s wish happen in 2017, and she even got to meet Horan, who performed “Slow Hands” at the show. In the summer of 2025, Rand managed to surprise Horan while he was on “The Voice” set, preparing for season 28.
In footage of the exchange that aired on “The Today Show,” Rand asked the superstar, “Do you remember when you performed ‘Slow Hands’ at the American Music Awards?”
“I do,” Horan said, and Rand showed him a throwback photo of them together, explaining why she’d been there.
Horan suddenly recalled their meeting, exclaiming, “What? At the soundcheck! I remember that so well, in the morning time.”
Niall Horan Marveled at How Far Taylor Rand Has Come
Rand celebrated the ninth anniversary of her heart transplant in August. Amazed by what Rand had been through, Horan marveled, “Fourteen and had a heart transplant. And everything’s fine since?”
“Everything’s been fine since,” she replied. “I’m 23 and I’m here now!”
Horan beamed, “Twenty-three and healthy. Look at us again, all these years later!”
Given that she’s just begun working in entertainment as a page, Rand got to ask Horan what the industry is like.
“It’s amazing, it’s a great industry,” Horan said. “You make what you want (out) of it. Work hard and be humble and try to have as much of a good time as you possibly can — like I do.”
Taylor Rand Says Reunion With Niall Horan Felt Like ‘Catching Up With a Best Friend’
Rand had been keeping her reunion with Horan a secret since they met during a “Voice” taping over the summer, waiting for the footage to be shared by NBC. On September 18, as the “Today Show” segment aired, she shared her own reflections on Instagram, calling their reunion “beyond special.”
She wrote, “i can still vividly remember the day we first met in 2017, and how kind & genuine he was. fast forward to a couple of months ago, reuniting on set of @nbcthevoice felt like catching up with a best friend. i am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity🥹!”
Rand said the media coverage of her story and their reunion “has all truly brought me to a loss of words. being able to not only tell my story in this beautiful way that showcases my growth over the last 9 years, but also ties into my career and dreams, truly is so amazing. a HUGE thank you to my team who have been so supportive every step of this journey ~ #taylorstrong4ever🩷💙”
The two-hour season 28 premiere of NBC’s “The Voice” airs on September 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
