There is a song titled "Elijah's Song" that was recorded in the ICU. Thanks to recording artist, Matisyahu, this boy's song is now being heard all over America, and hopefully the world. These are Matisyahu's words:
A few years ago a young man approached me in synagogue with a request for me to meet a young boy with cancer. I had become somewhat numb to any requests asked of me in shul as I get hit up all the time for all sorts of things when all I really want to do is pray and leave like any normal person. After some time and persistence on this young man's part, I agreed to meet Elijah on the upper west side.
I was immediately taken by him and we became friends. He would come to shows, we would text each other, and a year ago I went to surprise him at his bar mitzvah and sing with him at the party. He asked me if we could record a song together and as the year went on it sort of fell off my radar.
Late last year we had a show in Florida and Elijah came. After the show he asked me again about the song and we made a plan to go into the studio.
The next day I got a call that he had been admitted to the hospital and was too sick to leave.
My friend and guitar player Adam Weinberg and I realized Elijah might not have much time to do this and so we went to hospital with a little home studio to write and record a song. After 2 hours of trying to get a clean recording of his voice, I was getting tired and frustrated and so Adam and I went into the hallway to get some air.
I told Adam I didn't think we could get a recording, "Neither of us are sound engineers." Adam convinced me that we may not get another shot and so we went back into the room and wrote and recorded this song with Elijah.
The ideas for the music and majority of the words came from Elijah himself. We walked out of the hospital around 12am feeling good about Elijah and his song.
The next day I got a text that he had passed away in the middle of the night.
According to Matisiyahus's site, if you donate a minimum of $1 you will receive two versions of Elijah's Song~including the special version with Elijah and Matisyahu singing together the night before Elijah left this world. I can't think of a better way to spend a dollar~Can You?
Many thanks to Jewlicious for the story. Do go to the site for the complete story and the words to Elijah's Song and these links to listen:
According to their site, Elijah's soul left this world last December...Baruch Dayan HaEmet
All I can say is, Matisyahu, Hashem should bless you...
Matisyahu (Live)~Elijah's Song
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