Woman who's kept Elton John's shoe for half a century attends Toronto concert
“I haven’t seen him since,” the New Zealand native told CTV News Toronto Wednesday.
It was Oct. 29, 1971 when Haas got tickets to see John at Western Springs Stadium on his first New Zealand tour. “We got free tickets from the promoter,” Haas, who worked in radio at the time, admitted.
“I got into the second row.”
Along with the memories from that show, Haas has also held on to something else.
“He took his boots off,” she said. “He had the Rocketman boots, and he threw them into the audience and I got one!”
The leather, gold and red, right-footed Mr. Freedom winged boot was an early signature style piece for the flashy musician. The fancy footwear is even referenced in the 2019 autobiographical film “Rocketman.”
Back then, a young Haas wasn’t looking at her new find as a collector’s item.
“I put them on,” she said. “I was so hyper. I had one black boot and one Elton John boot. I went with my boyfriend at the time, and I stuck my leg out the window and I was saying, ‘I got the boot! I got the boot.’”
Haas says after the show she wore the boot to a nightclub and went dancing.
Along with her record collection, the boot was one of the few possessions Haas brought with her when she moved to Canada 46 years ago. For decades, it has sat in a display case in her Toronto home, both as a decorative piece and conversation starter.
“People love it,” she said. “And they say, ‘You have to contact Elton.”
Haas says she has no idea what the boot is worth, nor does she have any interest in selling it.
“I went to the Bata Shoe Museum and I was chatting to them- and they said they would be interested for me to put it in there on show. But you know, I didn’t want to give it away.”
Half a century after getting it, both the boot and the musician it came from are still standing.
John is playing two shows in Toronto at Roger's Centre this week on Sept. 7 and 8.
Haas says she will wear the boot on Wednesday night when she attends.
“I’d love to meet him,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Toronto eliminated from PWHL playoffs
Toronto has been eliminated from the PWHL playoffs.
Information commissioner faces $700K funding shortfall, says system is 'overwhelmed'
Canada's information commissioner says her office is facing a $700,000 funding shortfall that could impact its ability to investigate complaints about government transparency and accountability.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker's commencement speech has reached a new level
The NFL is distancing itself from controversial comments by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address.
Dabney Coleman, actor who specialized in curmudgeons, dies at 92
Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in '9 to 5' and the nasty TV director in 'Tootsie,' has died. He was 92.
Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Craig Berube as their new head coach.