Taylor Swift is opening up about one of the most emotional moments she faced during the Eras Tour when she found out her longtime backup singer Jeslyn Gorman had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
In the third section of End of an era docuseries, released Friday, Swift shared how deeply the news affected her while on the road.
The singer described herself as emotionally overwhelmed at the time and said she would “never forget” the moment she found out.
“It’s non-knowledge,” Swift said, reflecting on the fear she felt, adding that “the blow … unfathomable.”
Gorman also revisited that moment in the episode, recalling Swift’s immediate and heartfelt response.
“When I let Taylor know, she came storming in with hugs and crying and just, ‘I’m so sorry,'” she said.
Gorman added that Swift’s mother, Andrea Swift, offered reassurance, telling her, “‘Take care, we’ll be here when we’re ready’.”
For the next six months, Gorman stepped away from the record-breaking tour to focus on treatment, undergoing chemotherapy, surgery and managing severe skin problems.
She spoke candidly about the physical changes she experienced, saying: “I normally have all the curly hair. I lost 75 percent of my hair. I felt and looked completely different.”
Despite everything, Gorman remained determined to return.
After asking her doctor how soon she could rejoin the tour, she was told she could come back “the night” she finished radiation as long as she worked to rebuild her strength.
Another backup dancer confirmed in the documentaries: “She literally finished radiation and got on a plane.”
Swift expressed disbelief and admiration for her colleague’s strength.
“I can’t believe she was back in a few months,” she said. “The willingness to come back and do the hardest show ever — none of us could believe it. I still can’t.”
The singer also spoke warmly of the close bond within her touring crew, calling them a “professional family” who support each other through life’s ups and downs.
She singled out Gorman in particular, saying, “There are people I’ve just gotten to know at this stage of my life. Jeslyn is one of the most talented, resilient people I’ve ever been around.”
One of Gorman’s first shows back was captured in the episode, where she performed with ponytail extensions and later praised Swift backstage.
“You like to shine a light on people and make them feel bigger than they think they are,” she told Swift. “It’s never a ‘me’, it’s always a ‘we’.”
