This private concert by Florence + The Machine for a teen in hospice is unbelievably touching
When we found out Grimes and Florence + The Machine are touring together, we were, like, “Okay, this is what dreams are made of.” And when one teenager in hospice care couldn’t attend their concert, Florence Welch made *her* dreams come true.
Karinya Chen, 15, is in Hospice Austin‘s Christopher House, where she has been suffering from paraganglioma, a rare form of cancer. She was too sick to attend her favorite musician’s concert in Austin, Texas on Thursday. . . so Florence, along with bandmate Rob Ackroyd, gave Karinya her own personal show. Florence and Rob performed “Dog Days Are Over” and “Shake It Out,” with Karinya providing lovely harmonies — all while Florence sat on her bed and sang directly to her.
Hospice Austin wrote on YouTube that it was a “privilege” to “witness the clear joy of a room full of teenagers singing along” with the band. “The room was full. . . of joy and warmth and love and life and singing.”
“[Karinya] held long cherished tickets to see Florence and the Machine last night with her BFF,” wrote Hospice Austin’s nurse practitioner, Christie Kremer, on Facebook. “All week through [setback] after [setback], she asked if she would be able to go. We tried to entertain the idea and it felt so scary and overwhelming for the medical staff and her mother that finally I said no, and then my heart broke again.”
However, the team worked together to get ahold of Florence. “[Karinya’s] mom burst into tears of joy at the sight of her and Florence gave her a big hug,” Christie wrote. “. . . [T]here were shrieks and squeals and so much joyous music and singing and tears and tears and tears of grief and joy and hope and love and utter devastation and somehow simple kindness made everything better.”
Watch the clip below, and be prepared to get a little misty-eyed — or full-on crying — because we certainly are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=