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Rachelle, left, and Analyssa Ochoa talk about the experience of going to San Francisco to meet Robert Pattinson, the star of the upcoming movie "Twilight," and waiting in a mob of 3,000 other girls. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)
Tokay High teen gets chance to meet star of her dreams, Robert Pattinson of 'Twilight'
High-pitched screams filled the air as teenage girls threw punches at each other. Faces were cut and noses were broken.
"I didn't know people could have such a high-pitched sound," said Analyssa Ochoa.
A mob of 3,000 teenage girls surrounded Analyssa and her mother, Rachelle Ochoa, of Lodi, who waited in the melee all day to meet British actor Robert Pattinson, who will be starring in the upcoming movie "Twilight."
Analyssa, 16, who is a junior at Tokay High School, is a big fan of Pattinson. After checking for photos one day on his Web site, she saw that the actor would be at a mall in San Francisco for a cast meet-and-greet.
"I just really wanted to meet him," she said.
Pattinson — who is 22 years old, stands at six-foot-one and has a slender build — has wooed the teenage girls since his role as Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter movies. He plays the character Edward Cullen, a vampire who falls in love with a human, in the movie, "Twilight," which is scheduled to be released on Friday.
Knowing how much her daughter wanted to meet Pattinson and not wanting her to miss school, Rachelle and Analyssa devised a plan. Rachelle would head out to San Francisco and wait in line to pick up a wrist band. She would then drive back to Lodi to pick up Analyssa and the two would drive back together.
It was 4 a.m. when Rachelle left the house last Monday. On the drive there, thoughts raced through her mind: "I left too late. I should have left at 3 in the morning." At 6:20 a.m., she arrived at the Hot Topic store in the Stonestown Galleria mall, where Pattinson would later be. Stonestown is a two-story mall that sits just north of San Francisco State University.
Rachelle was told by the manager of the store that fans were not allowed to line up and would be kicked out if they did. But by 8 a.m., Rachelle said there was a line of 3,000 girls that stretched around the block. She wondered why they were not following the rules.
A poster from the upcoming movie "Twilight" is seen taped to Analyssa Ochoa's bedroom door. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)
"This was not supposed to happen," she said.
The police arrived telling the screaming mob to get off the property. One of the officers said the meet-and-greet event was canceled. No one believed him and one woman began pushing him. A paddywagon arrived, but still no one budged.
After hearing this news, Rachelle sent text messages to her daughter, who was still in school, to explain the situation.
"I was chewing gum, and when she told me it was canceled, I choked in class," said Analyssa. "I was on a full-scale panic attack."
Knowing that she had made a promise to her daughter, Rachelle decided not to give up.
"I thought they were just saying that to dissipate the crowd," she explained.
Then, her luck turned. While she waited in line to get a T-shirt for her daughter, an employee of the store gave her a tip. After purchasing the shirt, wrist bands would be issued for fans to stand in line and receive a poster, which would be signed by Pattinson later that evening.
By this time, Rachelle was tired but knew she must follow through with that promise. After getting a wrist band, she drove back to Lodi to pick Analyssa up from school. The two then headed back to San Francisco.
They returned by 7 p.m. and took their place in line. Up to 10 fans at a time were being allowed to go in and meet him. Analyssa ended up being the seventh-to-last person.
She waited for an hour and a half. Girls were pushing and shoving. Some were sitting on each other's shoulders and shoving people right next to the railing of the second floor in the mall.
"I was scared of being pushed over the railing," said Analyssa. "But I thought: If I do, maybe he will come to my hospital bed," she laughed.
Finally at 8:30 p.m., the moment arrived. Analyssa found herself face-to-face with the brown-haired, greyish-blue-eyed heartthrob.
Her mind raced, trying to think of something to say. All she could think of was to ask if he was tired.
After responding that he was, she told him not to worry. They were the last group for him to see.
"I was trying to think of something intelligent to say, but my mind just went blank," she said.
The two returned back to Lodi by 12:30 a.m., with Rachelle exhausted and Analyssa elated. They both feel the trip was well worth it. Rachelle feels that it was meant to be.
"We followed the rules, and so I think this was fate," she said.
Analyssa is trying to talk her mom into taking her to Los Angeles next week. There will be a meet-and-greet with the rest of the cast.
"I want to go so bad," she said.
But for now, she is happy with the possibility that she was the only one from the valley who was able to meet Pattison in San Francisco. She proudly wears her T-shirt that only a select few were able to get.
"Girls at school randomly came up to me and said, 'Where did you get that shirt?'" she said. "When I say San Francisco, they say, 'Ahhhhhh! You went?'"
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Lodian wrote on Nov 23, 2008 1:47 AM:
BaT wrote on Nov 19, 2008 6:53 PM:
LodiReaderFromStockton wrote on Nov 18, 2008 2:59 PM:
lodimumof4 wrote on Nov 18, 2008 10:10 AM:
samiam wrote on Nov 17, 2008 5:58 PM:
BaT wrote on Nov 17, 2008 5:46 PM:
lodimumof4 wrote on Nov 17, 2008 12:58 PM:
Maybe if you open your eyes and are positive about life you will see why this article was written. Look more closely adults -the refrigerator is of another child-maybe you should think before typing your responses-I am so glad to think you who post are that negative about something that is positive and is what is going on,it's about Twilight. "
my opinion wrote on Nov 17, 2008 12:35 PM:
LodiReaderFromStockton wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:52 AM:
LodiReaderFromStockton wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:05 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.