In seventh grade, MaKayla Brownlee was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope, a condition that causes her seizures when she feels extremely stressed.
Now, the 17-year-old won’t let anything keep her from becoming a professional musician, so she headed to “American Idol.” She sang her heart out during auditions and quickly earned herself a ticket to the Hollywood round.
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When the big day arrived, MaKayla said she was feeling nervous but laughed it off. As she headed onstage to perform for judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie, her dad was cheering her on in the audience.
That’s when MaKayla’s nerves really kicked in. As she was explaining her song choice, she seemed short of breath and quickly became light-headed. Then she rushed off the stage and had a seizure. Along with the medics, her dad and even the judges did everything they could to help out.
Thankfully, she was fine, but she was sent to the hospital for further evaluation.
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“She can’t control it. She’s embarrassed but physically she’s 100 percent alright,” her dad said in an update. “This opportunity is so important for her. I’d hate to see it inhibited in any way because she’s such a good singer and she works so hard at it.”
Her determination became clear to everyone when she returned to finish her performance just four hours later! The judges greeted her with a standing ovation, absolutely thrilled to see she was safe and sound.
At last, MaKayla delivered a breathtaking rendition of “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves. She’s so incredible that she left each judge in awe – and brought Katy Perry to tears!
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While MaKayla could have easily bowed out to avoid more stress, she persevered and is well on her way to achieving her dream! We’re so glad she got to share her stunning voice with the world!
Watch her inspiring performance in the video below, and remember to share this story with your friends.
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