To Chris ..
I originally made the following post on the "Fans Post" section of the front page. I hadn't noticed there was a forum section. Unfortunately, just over a week after I posted this, my Mom passed away. The song mentioned was played at her funeral, and it caught a lot of hearts of my family as well who had not heard it. Please If anybody knows of a way I can send this to Chris himself or someone that works close with him let me know. I would love to be able to let him know this story, and show my appreciation for a wonderful song.
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I am new to the site, but definitely not new to being a fan of Chris. My wife and I, sister, and Mom have been a fan since Idol. I came to the site looking for an email for Chris or a way to send him a personal letter regarding one of his songs on the new album.....Open Up Your Eyes.
You don't see this song or hear of it getting much attention as some select others, but it has touched me like no other song ever has. My Mom has been fighting lung cancer that turned into brain cancer for 2 1/2 years. My Dad and her were very much in love and were fighting the disease with everything they had. About 4 weeks ago my Dad suddenly passed away in his sleep, and my Mom found him in the morning by herself. The autopsy showed my Dad had over 50 blockage to his heart and had been in pain for some time, but in order to be strong for my Mom and family did not tell anybody of his pain. It has been a few tough last month, and my Mom has unfortunately rapidly gotten worse since. The doctors told us just yesterday that she probably has no more then a week left with us.
This is where this song comes in. The lyrics in it are both sad and comforting, and couldn't fit my families situation any better. I listen to this song many times a day to help be strong for her and know that my Dad is waiting for her, and all her pain and sorrows will be gone once the time comes. Sad and strong emotionally all built into one song...there has never been a better one written and couldn't have been at a better time for me. I plan on playing this at her funeral, so I just wanted to take the time to say "Thank you Chris" for the perfect song.
Replies (7)
I find it hard to see a life that has to go so early. I had a friend who lost her baby girl who was only a month. My thoughts go out to your family as well as everyone who posted on this. I find it amazing how something so simple as a song can affect so many people of so many different ages and homes!
Music has such a way of comforting us when we need it, quiet us when the time comes, and lifting us up when we are down. Music has a way of touching people and bringing them together when nothing else would have.
Thank you for sharing your stories. It sounds like everyone has had a tough year and I'll attest to having the same. In January of 2008, my sister in law went into premature labor....she was 24 wks pregnant with twins. They were born 4 days later weighing in at 1lb 3.5 oz and 1 lb 7oz. We spent the remaining months in the NICU fighting with them and those babies.
In April, the little girl came home. She had been through a lifesaving surgery when she was mere days old to repair her intestines and was going home with a colostomy. The little boy was still in the hospital with breathing problems.
He came home right before father's day and then a few days later he was dead. His feeding tube dislodged in the night and filled his lungs with formula. My brother performed CPR until the paramedics arrived. The paramedics revived him finally at the hospital, but looking at him you knew he was not there, it was just his little body.
3 days later, they made the tough decision to let him go off of life support. A tough, but loving decision.
My heart breaks for you all that have experienced death this year. No one should have to endure it and it is such soul wrenching pain. I still can't type the story without crying or wondering what he'd be doing now. I see his sister several times a week and wonder what he'd be doing too.
Its time to Open our eyes and go on......for them.
So I literally cried when I read this. This IS my favorite song on this whole CD, you have NO idea. It has hit me in SOOO many ways.
First of all, I have lost both my mother and my father to cancer. I was 14 when my mother passed and my father passed last December (I just turned 19). But that is NOT where the story ends. I am also a 2 time cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was 8 years old and fought for 4 1/2 years. I was told I wasn't gonna make my 14th birthday. But I did! Then I was rediagnosed with what is called Neuroblastoma last February. It was in stage 4 and a large tumor was found on my spine as well as others on my knee and ribs. I was told that I had 8-12 months to live. To look back, according to the doctors I would probably be dead right now. But I started EVERY treatment possible. And I fell in love, with someone who was as sick as me.
In June we were engaged. In early July, I got the call that a surgeon could remove my tumor. It would be a risky surgery, there was a 30% survival rate and an even smaller chance that I would ever be able to walk again. But I took the chance. I went into surgery the morning that Leave this Town was released and I was sad that I wouldn't be able to hear it. I have loved Chris since Idol (and was upset when he didn't win!) and I was looking forward to getting one of the earliest copies and listening to it for days!
The first thing I remember hearing when I awoke was "Open Up Your Eyes." I hadn't even opened my eyes yet, but I could hear this beautiful song and I cried. I remember my aunt was sitting right there (she had been holding vigil for days) and realized I was awake. I had been in a coma for 8 days, lost all my hair due to the high dose chemotherapy they had given me to kill all the cancer cells and I was a wreak. But I was alive!
My fiancee spent almost every day he could with me during that time as well. Within a week of waking up, I was talking fully again and within a week of that, I had started walking as well. I was told I was a miracle.
2 days before I was released from the hospital, my fiancee passed away from his long fight with Leukemia. I was on the phone with him during his last hour and the last thing he said to me was that he would be waiting to take my hand when I came to join him on the other side. The only song I listened to for days after I heard the news was "Open Up Your Eyes."
It is now late October and I am in remission. I miss my fiancee but I know that he is waiting for me. This song is everything to me! I knew from the moment I woke up to Chris' voice, that I needed to see him in concert. I will be attending his concert this Thursday night in Saginaw MI. This song means the world to me, and I am happy to see that I am not the only one who appreciates it!
cry....thank you for your story as painful as i am sure it was for you to write I was overwelmed by the beauty of the love in your family...May God Bless you and yours and may you continue the tradition of love .
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Lots of Love and Keep Rockin
Annie aka:RockerMomInIA
Lots of Love and Keep Rockin
Annie aka:RockerMomInIA
ya know for what it's worth i think everyone on this site has been touched by this song & it's reminders of loved ones past
I've posted a msg to RCA Ed one of the site admins to see if there's anything he can do
good luck and MDL
dionne
I just lost my Dad to colon cancer on 9/28, the day before his 66th birthday. He also hid his pain for several months, possibly years. We learned of his diagnosis and a month later he was gone. I cannot imagine losing both of my parents as you have. Their story is beautiful and what heroes they were to fight as they did. Open Up Your Eyes seems perfectly fitting. My deepest sympathies to you and your family.
Wishing you peace and comfort,
Deb Barnes