‘Metallica saved my life’: 14-year-old fan thanks rock band after family survives crash

GOODVIEW, Va. (WDBJ/Gray News) - A Virginia family credits a concert put on by the rock band Metallica for saving them when a driver slammed into their home, plowing straight into their living room.

Madeline “Maddie” McKee’s love of Metallica started early, she told WDBJ.

“My dad used to listen to it a lot when I was younger, and then when ‘Stranger Things’ season four had come out, they had Eddie playing ‘Master of Puppets.’ That was mostly when it started a lot more for me,” the 14-year-old said.

Madeline wanted nothing more than to see Metallica live, and she thought her dream was about to be realized after her family scored tickets to the band’s May 7 show at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg.

But on the day of the concert, a driver slammed into the family’s home at 2 a.m., plowing right into the living room.

Normally, Madeline’s parents would have been up watching TV in the living room at that time, but that night, they decided to hit the sack early to prepare to see Metallica the next day, a decision that may have saved their lives.

“‘Do you want to sit up?’ and he was like, ‘Nah, I think I’m just gonna go on to bed, and I said, ‘OK, I’ll go on to bed, too,’” said Madeline’s mother, Kristin McKee. “Then, just a few hours later, we heard a loud explosion, glass shatter, and it was just madness from that point on.”

Even though the McKees didn’t end up making it to the Metallica concert, the family says the show was lifesaving because it put them in the right place at the right time.

“We were so fortunate. That night, my daughter could have walked down that hallway and found us in the rubble. I thank God every day and Metallica for saving us because that’s exactly what did it,” Madeline’s mother said.

After processing the damages to her home, Madeline felt compelled to reach out to the band, typing up a letter to thank them.

“You saved my parents’ lives. I will be forever grateful. Good luck with the rest of your tour and hope to see you on the road. Sincerely, Maddie McKee,” read the letter in part.

Madeline’s parents say they hope they can move back into their home in six months.

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