Johnnie Clark and his 12-year-old son Shyon share a close bond that is made even stronger by their mutual love of music.
The Victorville, California, family has been staying close to home throughout the novel coronavirus pandemic, using the extra time to practice their instruments and learn new songs.
Back in March, Johnnie surprised Shyon with his very own organ, which made him jump for joy. Shyon, who dreams of becoming a professional musician one day, has been playing the piano since he was just 4 years old and adores using the organ at church.
“I was so excited that my dad got me a brand new organ that I could call my own,” Shyon told GMA. “I knew that I would be able to spend more time with him and we could vibe with each other.”
The two of them spent several hours a day practicing their favorite gospel songs, but in September, a serious infection landed Johnnie in the hospital. It was a terrifying time for the whole family, but Johnnie was determined to fight his illness and get back to Shyon and his four siblings.
During his dad’s hospitalization, Shyon kept his spirits up by practicing the songs they had learned together. “It made me extremely sad because I couldn’t see him and we weren’t able to be together,” he explained. “But I continued to play the organ by myself because I didn’t want to forget the songs he taught me.”
After multiple days, Johnnie was able to return home! Shyon decided to celebrate by playing a special song that reminded him of his dad. He sat down at his organ and performed “Deliver Me” by Le’Andria Johnson.
When you see the video of the touching moment, it becomes clear that Shyon puts everything he has into his music. Perhaps that’s why he is overwhelmed by his emotions and suddenly bursts into tears halfway through!
“I started to tear up because at one point I thought I was never going to see my dad again, but he was ‘delivered,'” Shyon said later. “So I just let it all out and I couldn’t hold my tears back.”
Johnnie shared the emotional video on Instagram, where it quickly went viral. Now, it’s touching hearts around the world!
Johnnie is finally on the mend and is back to performing with his son every day, but neither of them will ever forget the way music moved Shyon to tears of joy and relief that day!
Watch Shyon’s tear-jerking reaction in the video below, and don’t forget to share this story with a parent you know.
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