Watch the ‘American Idol’ Contestant Who Made Lionel Richie Cry
Elijah McCormick’s audition of “Bless the Broken Road” reminded the judges of the late Willie Spence.
It was an audition that brought out the hankies on the third night of American Idol tryouts when 21-year-old Elijah McCormick, an Ophthalmologist Technician from Raeford, N.C., brought Lionel Richie to tears following his powerful performance of “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts.
After all three judges hugged Elijah, Luke said, “The last person I saw approach singing like you was Willie Spence.”
The other connection between Willie and Elijah is that they both endured horrific traffic accidents. Willie succumbed to his crash; Elijah, who coded nine times, miraculously survived his.
Related: American Idol Runner-up Willie Spence Has Died
Lionel explained his tears, saying, “That’s what got me. You hit one of those notes, and I thought of Willie and from then on, I couldn’t recover. I was trying to look dignified and then you beat me up some more. Let me just tell you this, God brought you back nine times for you to do something amazing. I am so glad you are here with us. That was just one of those moments in my life that I will never forget.”
Katy then said, “Elijah, do you understand that this is the beginning of your story. I can’t believe you came to us. How the heck did you come to us?”
Elijah explained that his mother Teshauna had signed him up to audition before the accident. “I had my ID number and everything,” he added.
Katy told him, “You are just here fulfilling your destiny. This was always meant to be.”
The judges then asked him to bring in his mom, and Lionel told her, “Your son, when he opens his mouth, he’s divine. God brought him back for a purpose in life, and it starts right here. I know you went through absolute torture. Well, God bless you, and your family, and that golden child right there."
ABC/Eric McCandless
And then in the weirdest of coincidences Elijah interrupted to say, “My ID got burned up in the fire in the car, so on the floor in the hospital, they called me Golden Child. My hair was gold at the time so that’s why they called me Golden Child.”
Elijah, who has been singing since he was 6, really fell in love with music in high school. And then, on graduation day—June 8, 2019—it wasn’t clear if he would ever sing again.
“The last thing I remember is dropping my friend off at her house and I was only about a mile from home,” he recalled. “I flatlined a couple of times in the process of being airlifted and then I flatlined a couple of times on the operating table. A total of nine times. I was in the hospital for about 79 days, I had about 10 surgeries —open heart surgery, dialysis. I am just so thankful to be here. Thankful for the guardian angels that were around me.
Needless to say, it’s been a tough road for the Idol hopeful.
“I would never have expected to go through something like that,” he said. “I am not supposed to be here. I have to fulfill my purpose. I am going to go out there and give it everything I have, leave everything on the floor. I am going to leave with no regrets.”
And he didn’t because when the judges vote, Elijah was through to Hollywood.
“The golden child deserves the golden ticket,” Katy said.
American Idol airs Sunday nights at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.
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