VIP treatment at Ellen DeGeneres Show taping for Windsor's Dontre Fortune - Action News
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VIP treatment at Ellen DeGeneres Show taping for Windsor's Dontre Fortune

Ellen DeGeneres superfan Dontre Fortune managed to sit on the set of her show Thursday.

A social media campaign helped get Dontre Fortune into the audience on Thursday

Dontre Fortune had his dreams come true on Thursday when he sat in the crowd for the Ellen Degeneres Show. (Submitted by Tijen Guney)

Dontre Fortune celebrated his upcoming high school graduation Thursday afternoon by stepping ontothe stage of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and even sitting in the host chair.

Fortune made it to the taping of the show with the help of a local campaign on social media asking DeGeneres to get the superfaninto her audience.

"I sat on the set, in her chair!" said Fortune, who watched the show from the third row.

The 21-year-old has an intellectual disability and is set to graduate after seven years at WalkervilleCollegiate Institute in Windsor, Ont.

A day full of smiles

Fortune's mother said that he could not stop smiling from the moment they arrived to the studio.

"Just being at the show was an unbelievable experience for us," said TijenGuney.

Ellen superfan from Walkerville high school receives tickets after social media campaign

7 years ago
Duration 0:48
Witness the moment that Dontre Fortune's dream of meeting Ellen DeGeneres finally came true.

Fortune said watching Kelly Clarkson perform was a big highlight of the VIP experience, which included a Target gift card, the artist's CD and a pair of Apple ear buds.

Guney said just as they were headed out of the studio after the showa producer recognized Fortune and offered him a chance to step onto the stage of his favourite show.

"The main producer approached us and offered Dontre to sit in Ellen's chair so that was an amazing experience," said Guney.

Outpouring of support

"He appreciated all of the support that his school and the city of Windsor has given," said Guney.

"He was glad that was able to share this memory with everyone."

Dontre Fortune (middle) will be attending The Ellen DeGeneres Show after a nine-day social media campaign. His mother, Tijen Guney (left), and developmental services worker Cindy Leduc (right) are among his many supporters. (Dale Molnar/CBC)

Cindy Leduc, a developmental services worker at Fortune's schooland fellow Ellen fan, wrote a pair of letters to the show to help get him in the audience.

Fortune didn't get a chance to meet Ellen but said that it was still a very exciting day.

with files from Dale Molnar