“Anthony, sing me a song.”

“Okay,” I said. “What do you want me to sing?”

Esther responded, “Sing, ‘Because He Lives.’ ”

“But Esther,” I protested, “I don’t know that song.”

“Well, that’s the song I want,” she said.

“But …”

Let me tell you about my friend Esther. I am a performer who is on a mission to bring joy to older adults. I perform at nursing and assisted living facilities throughout the country.

When I moved to North Carolina in 2001 and started to perform in nursing and assisted living facilities, one of the first “characters” I met was Esther. She became my designated heckler. Any story I told, she would give me that look, shake her head, roll her eyes, in short telling me that I was full of it. Well, of course I gave it right back to her. And that is how we became friends.

Fast forward to 2005, when I received a call from the activity director at facility where Esther resided. Esther was in the hospital and insisted I go visit her before or after my next performance at the center. I agreed. See, a funny thing happened to me when I started entertaining at these facilities. I made some wonderful friends. And I grew close to them, checked in on them from time to time, and took an interest in their lives. Esther was one of these people. 

Well, I entertained at the facility that day and then the activity director and I went to visit Esther. Of course, up until now I was only given select information. Now, on the way to the hospital, I found out that Esther actually had died and was revived the week before and was now in the intensive care unit.

“Oh,” I thought. “And she wants to see me?!” 

I entered the room and her eyes lit up, totally ignoring my friend and just barely paying attention to her daughter. In fact, Esther starts flirting with me to the amusement of her daughter.

“Mother,” she said, “he’s a married man!”

Oh, well. Our banter continues and, of course, she insists I sing her the song that I don’t know. I sort of dodged it and sang her Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable,” an appropriate song for Esther I thought. We visited a while longer and I kissed her goodbye. Her daughter took me aside and told me that I would never know how much my visit meant to her and her mom. I didn’t think a whole lot about it.

That is until I got to the parking lot and it hit me that something profound had taken place. I truly crossed the line from just being someone who brightens up the days of seniors to someone who is somehow purposefully linked to their lives.

I told Esther I would learn that song for her and I did. And then I made a recording of it in my studio. I sent it to her when she was safely back at the center. It was a huge hit with her and the residents. As soon as the CD was played, and without Esther knowing what was on it, Esther immediately knew it was me singing to her. They tell me she played it over and over again. I was glad that she was happy and healthy. 

At least that is what I thought. I heard just a few weeks later that Esther was in hospice care and that my CD went along with her. Esther died. 

I went to the funeral. I walked in and as soon as her daughter saw me she started crying. She had not broken down, people told me, until she saw me walk in the door. She asked me if I knew about Esther’s last day of life. I didn’t. She told me. 

The whole last day of her life my CD was playing - over and over, Esther’s favorite song. “Because He Lives” played again and again with me singing. Esther’s daughter started singing the song with me into her mother’s ear and telling her to let go. Esther died a short time later. 

I started crying as she told me the story.

I have accomplished a lot in my performance and singing career. I never hit the big time, well not yet, but I have won some songwriting awards from Billboard, been featured in songwriter’s showcases in New York, entertained at resorts and casinos, and even was once considered for a recording contract with Capital Records. But the biggest musical accomplishment in my life so far, maybe my biggest accomplishment period, was helping Esther pass from this life to her eternal reward. I doubt I’ll ever top it.