Three years ago, 8-year-old Sammy Hodgett was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia. While undergoing treatment, there was one thing that anchored him — Blake Shelton‘s music.
During Sammy’s chemotherapy, he was put into a medically induced coma for almost six weeks, and Shelton’s music, especially his track “Boys ‘Round Here,” was key to the young boy’s recovery.
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In October, Sammy’s parents shared a post on Facebook in an effort to get their little boy to meet Shelton. The request worked, with Shelton tweeting in December, “Hey Sammy!!! I can’t wait to meet you buddy!!”
Hey Sammy!!! I can’t wait to meet you buddy!! https://t.co/qyD2GbzJMq
— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) December 5, 2017
On Feb. 23, Sammy’s wish came true when Shelton’s Country Music Freaks Tour stopped near the young boy’s hometown in Illinois.
After the meeting, Sammy’s father, Mike, wrote a letter to Shelton expressing his gratitude.
“Dear Mr. Shelton,” begins the letter, sent to CMT. “It is difficult to find the words to express how thankful we are for everything that you have done. Sammy has been smiling non-stop ever since the concert last weekend. Every morning he asks if we get to go see Blake again today.”
“You have made a huge impact in his life!” the letter continued. “It is wonderful to have something so amazingly good happen to him after the extremely long and difficult road he has traveled over the past three years. The meet-and-greet, backstage tour and floor seats were a once-in-a-lifetime moment for all of us. It was some much-needed, relaxing family time.”
“Blake, you have given Sammy such a wonderful experience and gift that we know he will remember forever,” Mike concluded. “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Photo Credit: Facebook / Mandy Dietz Atkinson
