Outpouring of Support Raises More Than $400K for Musician Who Lost Wife in Childbirth

Nashville-based Christian musician Nathan Johnson and his wife Megan welcomed their first child Eilee Kate on Tuesday morning just hours before tragedy struck and Megan died of unexpected complications from the pregnancy. The music community and city have rallied around the new father and his daughter in the wake of her loss, raising a staggering $400,000 in a matter of days.

Not only have people provided financial support to make it possible for Johnson to take time off to be with his daughter and potentially help pay for her college in the future, they have dropped everything to run errands, drop off diapers, and do household chores.

“He’s so over the moon for his daughter, but you can see grief has hit him at the same time,” said Christian artist Francesca Battistelli, a Grammy winner who had Johnson play in her band for more than 30 gigs in the last year. She visited Johnson and the baby this week alongside dozens of other friends and relatives.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see,” she said. “It was amazing how many people were surrounding him.”

Josh Wilson, the friend who set up the GoFundMe, recalled the Johnson’s relationship.

“Meg was his everything,” Wilson said. “He doted on her in a way like I’ve never seen a husband do.”

The family had six hours together where they took pictures and cuddled before Megan began experiencing complication. Eight hours after giving birth she passed away.

While a cause of death has not formally been revealed, Megan suffered from myocarditis and underwent a heart transplant in 2010.