Evie Clair Dedicates 'America's Got Talent' Finale Performance to Her Father
Last night on part one of the season finale of “America’s Got Talent,” 14-year-old finalist Evie Clair sang an emotional cover of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” It was a tribute to her late father Amos Abplanalp, who recently passed away from stage 4 colon cancer.
Clair’s father had been battling cancer her entire time on the show, and he was her biggest fan. She had dedicated every performance to him, but this performance was special because it was the first one without him there. The song was a reminder of her father’s positive outlook on life.
Before taking the stage, Clair told the judges, “The happiest memories are my family gathered around the piano singing together. Music brought love and brought us closer together, even through the hardest times. My dad was one of the bravest people I knew, he always taught us to follow our dreams.”
She also said, “My dad taught me after I started something to always finish it, that’s why I’m fighting to the end just like he did.”
The audience gave a standing ovation, and all of the judges were touched by her performance. Judge Howie Mandel said, “I cannot believe the strength that I’m seeing in such a beautiful young girl.”
Less than a week ago, Clair shared a photo of her father’s funeral on Instagram with the caption, “God be with you ’til we meet again.”
She also shared this photo with her father as a reminder of why she’s competing.
Photo courtesy of ‘America’s Got Talent’ on YouTube.
Trish is the Cancer Editor at The Mighty. She lost her father to stage 4 lung cancer in August 2016, and previously worked at a children’s cancer research organization, so she knows firsthand about the cancer experience. A lover of hip hop music, hot sauce and kimchi, she lives in Maryland with her husband, two dogs, cat and feisty 2-year-old daughter. Check her story out in the book, “A Letter to My Mom.“
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