Aiken tops Studdard on one ballot

Deepa Bharath

In one instant, singer Clay Aiken changed Denise Heinrichs’ life.

It was Nov. 26, the day after Thanksgiving. Heinrichs, a Costa

Mesa resident rendered quadriplegic nine years ago after a surgery to

remove a cancerous tumor, was aching all over that day.

“I felt terrible and extremely worn out,” she said.

But her husband convinced her to go to Aiken’s concert at the

Orange County Performing Arts Center. Heinrichs was sitting five or

six rows from the front. Halfway into the concert, right before

intermission, Aiken stepped down from the stage and walked into the

audience.

Without warning, as he sang “New Year’s Eve,” Aiken grabbed

Heinrichs’ arm and invited her to dance with him.

“I can’t dance,” she told him. “I’m a quad.”

But Aiken simply lifted her out of her wheelchair and told her:

“I’ve got you.”

Then, he held on to her, and they danced as the orchestra played.

“He asked me, ‘Are you OK?’ every now and then,” Heinrichs said.

“I was like, ‘Yeah.’ And I had this huge smile on my face. He was so

nice. I felt like I was dancing with my brother. It was amazing.”

Since her famous dance with Aiken, Heinrichs has received several

e-mails, she said. Pictures of the dance were posted on Aiken’s

website, and people started recognizing her, Heinrichs said.

“He could’ve seen me in my wheelchair, and he could’ve walked on,”

she said. “But he didn’t. It didn’t matter to him. And that’s what

made it very special.”

Heinrichs decided to create a special e-mail address,

[email protected], because of the heavy response.

“I’m glad that this has helped open a door for me, a way to talk

to people,” she said. “I’ve had so many people -- disabled and those

who aren’t disabled -- contact me.”

On Monday night, she received a special invitation to watch the

taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, on which Aiken was one of

the guests.

“Even as I was sitting down in the audience, I could hear people

pointing to me and saying ‘There she is,’” Heinrichs said.

Aiken’s act of compassion has motivated her to help others, and

she’s pursuing a master’s degree in women’s health.

“He’s given me my life back,” she said. “He’s given me hope.”