Last month I performed at a fundraiser for The Dream Catchers in Virginia Beach and I spoke the following day at The Pathways to Possibilities Conference. A few weeks before the trip The Make A Wish Foundation contacted us and said there was a 4 year-old little boy named Collin, in Virginia Beach who had made a wish… his wish was to meet me. I don’t know if I have the words to explain what an honor it was to hear that. He wished for me? Really? Me?
We set up a private meet and greet prior to my sound check the night of the fundraiser. I walked in the room and met his whole family. Collin was in his wheelchair, I came close to him so he could see me. After a few tries, Collin pushed a large yellow button on the tray of his wheelchair that voiced, “Hi Rachel, I’m Collin. I love you!” (Whew, I just tried to hold back the tears!) I asked which songs are his favorite, his mom said, “Caterpillar Dreams.” When I started singing, Collin lit up, he sat up in his chair and started laughing, he knew that voice. There was no question, he knew it was me.
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- Hi Collin, It’s me!
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- Just a little caterpillar
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- I feel just like a butterfly
I invited them in for my sound check. At the start of each song (and throughout) Collin would let out a happy holler. Even during the show, I could not help but smile each time I heard Collin sound off from the back of the hall where he was near an electrical outlet for his suctioning. Before my last song, I shared how humbled and honored I felt to be a wish. Collin’s mom joined me on stage, I thanked her. We hugged. We cried. I presented them with the full Signing Time library.
The final song I sang was “Shine.” Before singing Shine, I talked about how Lucy inspired the song. We say, “Lucy you are shining!!!” when we witness her miraculous milestones. In the bridge I sang, “…and Sammy will do what Sammy will do, when Sammy is ready to do it! And Collin will do what Collin will do when Collin is ready to do it! And Lucy will do what Lucy will do when Lucy is ready to do it! And they’ll do it, in their own time. They’ll shine, shine, shine, shine, Shine!”
It was an incredible night.
You can listen to the song Shine on the Signing Time Music Player
