68-year-old Matt Dodd never thought he'd end up on the stage of an audition show. Matt is a bus driver in Ballyfermot, Ireland. One day he was hanging out with his grandkids when an advertisement for Ireland's Got Talent came on the television.
One of the kids asked him if he would try out for the show and now Matt is on stage ready to perform for the judges. This granddad has been singing since he was a boy and now, as a bus driver for a nursing home, he sings to his passengers each day.
Today, Todd is singing the Tom Jones classic 'I Who Have Nothing' and from the very first note I could tell this was going to be an amazing audition. The crowd starts to cheer and by the entire everyone, including the judges, are on their feet.
There's no doubt that Matt has something very special and I'm so glad that other people are recognizing his talent. I can't wait to see what this talented performer does next!
Sharane Calister put so much passion and soul into her audition when she stepped onto The Voice stage. Her rendition of Ed Sheeran's "Make It Rain" truly struck a chord with the judges and ended with Alicia and Kelly fighting it out to put Sharane on their team. But it was what happened after the song that truly left an impact on everyone.
Alicia asked Sharane where she got her emotion from that she sings with and that's when Sharane shared that she was adopted and her and her twin sister were separated. It wasn't until they were 18 that they were finally able to be reunited. Sharane puts all of that pain and feeling into her music and it completely comes through.
Her story even led judge Kelly to tears. I'm so glad that Sharane was able to take that pain and make it into art by performing on stage. I can't wait to see what this inspiring woman does next.
17-year-old Dallas Caroline was literally shaking in her boots when she stepped onto The Voice stage for her audition. But this talented young girl completely nailed it out of the park with her cover of Willie Nelson's iconic song 'Always On My Mind.'
This country singer managed to turn 3 of the judges and each one only had 1 spot left on their team. That truly speaks to the amazing voice that this teen truly has. Dallas may be young but she definitely has plenty of talent to get her through this competition. Just watch as all 3 judges battle it out to try and win Dallas and her voice onto their team.
I'm sure it was a tough choice for this young girl but each coach has so many unique qualities that they can offer. I'm just so glad that they all turned around, ensuring that we'll be hearing more from this incredible young performer. I can't wait to see what song she performs next as a part of Team Blake.
Marisa Hamamoto spent 20 years of dancing ballet and contemporary dance before she discovered ballroom dance. Marisa was recovering from Spinal Cord Infarction, which is a severe neurological disease that temporarily paralyzed from the neck down.
Thankfully, Marisa was able to step on the dance floor again, but now she wants to make sure that everyone is welcome on the floor. Today, she's dancing a beautiful ballroom number with her dance partner Piotr Iwanicki. Piotr is one of the most accomplished wheelchair dancers in the world and one look at this performance and you'll understand exactly why.
This routine is full of lifts, spins and twirls and it's absolutely incredible to watch. There is truly nothing that this pair cannot do. I'm so glad that they both continued to follow their dreams of dance and didn't let anyone or anything hold them back. In face, Marisa founded Infinite Flow in 2015 to promote inclusion in dance and help every single person find their inner dancer. What an amazing mission and an even more amazing person.
This mother has been quilting her entire life and it's an art that she has passed down to her children. Every single stitch and patch has meant so much to this woman and her daughter's saw just how much quilting has become a part of their mother's life. So when Christmas time came around, the girls got together and decided to give their mom the ultimate Christmas present.
They compiled a ton of their baby clothes and together, these sisters made a quilt of their own especially for their mother. Just watch as Mom starts to unwrap her present. As soon as she realizes what she has been given, the tears immediately start to flow. This touching gift isn't just about the physical quilt but about how her daughters came together to sew precious memories for their mother.
What an amazing gift and I just know this mom is going to cherish the quilt for a lifetime. Have you ever been given a gift that has moved you to tears?
Harper Grace was just 11 years old when she sang The National Anthem at a nationally televised soccer game. Her performance was called one of the worst renditions of The National Anthem and the video went viral all over the Internet. Even though that was a tough time in her life, Harper continued to follow her dreams and pursue music.
Now, she is 16 and trying out for American Idol with her own original country song on guitar. I'm sure this was a nerve-wrecking time for Harper but she completely shined and won over the judges. Her audition impressed all three judges and she easily earned her ticket straight to Hollywood.
I'm so proud of how far Harper Grace has come and that she didn't let the world keep her down. I know she probably thought about giving up a lot after everyone called her performance 'the worst' but she knew where her heart was leading her and followed that calling. I can't wait to see what this teenager does next.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has always been close to his brother, Brian. The two were only a year apart in age and always kept a tight bond throughout the years. So, when Clay found out that Brian and his wife, Megan, were expecting twin boys, he knew he wanted to give them a special surprise.
Brian and Megan had struggled with infertility so when they found out they were pregnant with two babies, they were beyond excited. The couple had purchased their forever home where they hoped to raise their family, but the inside was definitely a fixer-upper. Clay wanted to make sure that his brother and sister-in-law could bring the twins home to a completed home so he teamed up with Houzz and other home experts to plan an incredible remodel.
He planned this entire surprise for Brian and Megan including a kitchen remodel and some other major upgrades. When this couple finally gets to see their home, it's obvious that they are over the moon with everything that's been done. There's no doubt that they will make many beautiful memories with their boys in this house and it's all thanks to one kind brother.
There's no doubt that parenting can be tough. Even when we think we are prepared for everything, something happens that completely stops us in our tracks. And that's exactly what happened to this mom when her baby girl started to cry out in pain.
Mom knew this wasn't a normal cry so she immediately ran over to figure out what was going on. That's when she shined the light from her phone up her baby's nose and saw something white had been shoved up there. This mom immediately started to panic and got all ready to take the baby to the emergency room to remove whatever had been put up her nose.
While in the car, this mom had to call a client and let her know that their meeting would have to be canceled due to an ER trip. That's when this fellow mom shared some parenting advice that completely changed everything. A lot of you may know this life hack, but for those of us who don't, this could seriously come in handy one day. I'm so glad that this mom decided to share her story online in case this ever happens to any other parents.
Gemma was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of ovarian cancer while she was pregnant with her first baby, Penelope. She went through intense chemotherapy for six months, and the cancer left for a while. But Gemma had just started her new job when she started to have awful headaches.
Her job dealt with computers, so she assumed that the headaches were coming from that, but after two weeks, she found out that cancer had come back in the form of brain cancer. She had to have brain surgery and needed treatments that were very expensive. That's when her mother decided to start a fundraiser to try and help offset some of the costs. Doctors even told Gemma to prepare a will because there was no guarantee that she would be able to get the help that she needed.
Thankfully, legendary actress Kate Winslet found her fundraiser page online and she immediately knew that she wanted to help Gemma. Kate raised enough of the funds for Gemma to be able to get the treatment that saved her life. Kate herself lost her mother last year to ovarian cancer, so her heart truly went out to Gemma. What an incredible gift from such a kind woman.
Layla Spring just turned 16 years old and she was so excited because that meant she was eligible to audition for American Idol. She just met the age requirement and Layla was ready to step in front of the judges and give it her best shot. But before she auditioned, she brought a very special guest with her to meet everyone.
Layla normally performs with her little sister, but young Dixie isn't quite old enough to try out for American Idol. They still wanted to perform an adorable duet for the judges and it definitely got a ton of smiles. After her sister left, Layla got to the real audition where she belted out an incredible rendition of The Jackson 5's "Who's Loving You."
While she may be young, this talented performer easily won over the judges. Now, Layla is on the way to Hollywood to showcase her vocals again. I can't wait to see Layla and her next performance!
There is truly no one like our Lord in Heaven above. God made the ultimate sacrifice for us when He sent His only Son to Earth to die for our sins. Because of this gift, we are now forgiven and free to live out our days in Heaven above.
This amazing sacrifice paved the way to our salvation and it's something we should give thanks for each and every day. The lyrics of 'Who You Say I Am' from Hillsong Worship are the perfect reminder of this.
I just love how this group uses their God-given talent to give praise to His name and this song it the perfect way to worship. Who else wants to join their voices in beautiful praise to our Lord?
Taking a vacation with the family seems like a fun and relaxing time, but things quickly turned sour for this family during a recent ski trip. This heroic mom is hanging on to her fallen children as they dangle from ski lift.
Adam Browning was at Perfect North Slopes Ski Resort in Indiana when he saw a frightening sight. A mother was yelling for help as both of her children dangled from the ski lift chair. She was grasping tightly onto the child closer to her, a daughter, who was no longer on the chair at all. The child further away had a grip on the back of the seat but was slipping down with their sister.
This desperate mom was doing all she could to hold her kids up while also trying to keep herself from slipping. Rescuers quickly formed under the panicked mother with a special tarp used for rescues just like this one.
Thankfully, they got to the terrified family just in time. These rescuers made a beautiful catch as the little one dropped nearly 25 feet to the ground below. From there, this heroic mom was able to help pull her other child back onto the lift chair. What a scary moment this must have been for this family. I'm so glad everyone is alright.
When Hoda Kotb became a mother to a sweet baby girl, her entire world changed. Now, little Haley Joy is 1-year-old and she's been the biggest blessing and inspiration in Hoda's life. In fact, Haley Joy even inspired Hoda to write a special children's book titled "I've Loved You Since Forever."
After she wrote this touching book, Hoda thought it would be incredible if the words she wrote could be turned into song. And that's exactly what happened when she called up her good friend Kelly Clarkson and asked if she would record a song version of "I've Loved You Since Forever." What resulted in the most beautiful lullaby for any child.
There's truly nothing like the love we have for our babies and this song really puts those feelings into words. Both woman couldn't help but cry as these precious words came to life in the most amazing way. Listen to the talented Kelly Clarkson sing "I've Loved You Since Forever" and you'll be wiping away tears too.
In 2016, a driver ran a red light and struck David Francisco while he was riding his bike. The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down and completely changed his life. But David didn't let his struggles get to him. In fact, he forgave the driver that hit him and they're even friends now. The accident also allowed him to reconnect with an old friend which led to a beautiful romance.
Today, David is following his dream by auditioning for American Idol and sharing his story with the world. The judges are immediately touched by this man's optimism and charisma. But when he starts to perform the Stevie Wonder classic "Isn't She Lovely" all of the judges are in awe.
David is the total package of talent, charm and an all-around great guy. And his touching story and audition even brought judge Katy to tears. It's obvious he left on a mark on the judges and I can't wait to see what this man does next. We'll see you in Hollywood, David!
This man is in for the surprise of his life and he has no idea that it's coming. Just watch as his wife's sits him down at the dinner table with a cupcake in front of him.
She told him that this is suppose to be a 'really good' cupcake and she wanted to film his reaction. He slowly peels away the film and starts to dig in to the delicious treat. But when he tries to take a bite, that's when he discovers something inside the cupcake. There is a plastic baby in the middle of the treat and this husband is super confused. He continues to say 'why is there a baby in my cupcake?'
Finally, this wife tells him to lift up his plate and that's when he finds the sweet note letting him know that he's going to be a father. He immediately starts to tear up and is overcome with joy at this welcome surprise. I'm so glad that this momma-to-be decided to film this special moment. It's truly a memory that they will cherish for a lifetime.
When Stephanie Skipper stepped onto The Voice stage, she was ready to give the performance of her life. And she picked a very special song for her audition 'Piece By Piece' originally performed by one of the judges, Kelly Clarkson.
As soon as Kelly heard her song come out of a contestants mouth, she was overcome with emotion. This was a very special song to Kelly and to hear someone else choose and perform it, brought her to tears.
Thankfully, another one of the judges, Adam, turned around and Stephanie will continue on in the competition. But listening to Kelly talk about how powerful and meaningful this song was and how much is meant that someone else would sing it, truly touched my heart. I can't wait to see what Stephanie performs next time.
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