Lillian had been a fan of his since she saw him on American Idol. His name is Bo Bice. Lillian had been diagnosed with Neuro Muscular Dystrophy seven years ago.
Lillian's dying wish was to see Bo Bice in concert. Through Make-A-Wish her wish is coming true.
Lillian re watched Bo's "In A Dream" performance where the spotlight made him look like Jesus.
She listens to Bo's album "The Real Thing" every day, sometimes twice a day. It can help her get through the long day. The title song puts a smile on her face and makes her think of brighter days ahead of her.
Lillian's mother came into her room with a smile on her face and said, "Today's gonna be a good day for us, Lillian."
Lillian looked up from her book that she's reading and asked, "What do you mean, mom?"
"We, meaning you and me, are going to see Bo Bice in concert tonight and we're going backstage to meet him after the concert!"
"Really?"
Lillian would jump if she could, out of her wheelchair and into he mom's arms. Lillian's wish is coming true and she is gonna meet Bo Bice as an added bonus.
Lillian's mom helped her get changed for the concert and did her hair too. When Lillian looked at her self in the mirror, she liked what she saw.
"I can't wait to see him, mom!"
"I know, honey! We have a limo coming for us in an hour."
"We're riding a limo!" Lillian exclaimed.
"Of course we are!"
When the limo came Lillian's mother helped her into the car. Then she joined her in the limo, and off they went.
Bo Bice was in his dressing room warming up his vocals by doing a few scales. Bo was looking over his playlist for the concert that night as he waited for his guests of honor to arrive
Bo looked up when his manager came in.
"I have been told that their limo had just arrived," he had told him.
"I'm ready to meet them," Bo said.
Bo and his manager left his dressing room to meet his guests at the back entrance of the arena. When they got there Lillian and he mother were already out of the limo.
"You must be Lillian!" Bo said.
"That's me!" Lillian answered him.
"Let's come on in out of the cold."
Bo sat and talked to Lillian until the show started. Lillian told Bo how much his music had meant to her and it helps her get through each and every day.
Knowing how much meant to Lillian made Bo feel better than the sun that comes out after the rain. Bo made last second preparations before he made his way to the stage.
At the stage the announcer called, "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Bo Bice!"
The roar of the audience sounded amazing to Lillian.
"I've been down, Now I'm blessed…" Bo started singing.
The next thing that Lillian knew, she and the other fans were singing along with him. Lillian enjoyed seeing Bo perform in concert. Bo smiled at the fact that Lillian was able to be there in the audience to see him perform.
Halfway through the concert, Bo said on the mic, "This next song is dedicated to my new friend through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Lillian!
"Every word I say, I mean it. Every single day, I feel it…."
Lillian was moved to tears when Bo dedicated The Real Thing to her. Then she fully knew that her one wish had fully come true.
After the concert, Bo met up with Lillian and her mom. Since he was so moved by Lillian and her story, Bo wanted to know about her, so he decided to invite them to dinner. Lillian and her mom had agreed to go with Bo to dinner.
Over dinner, Bo found out that Lillian loved to sing.
"What all do you like to sing?" Bo asked.
"All different kinds of songs, but mostly Rock and Christian."
"There's a lot of good songs from both of those styles!"
"Yes, there are!"
Later in the limo on the way back to their home, Bo asked Lillian and her mother, " So, did you two enjoy the concert, tonight?"
"I sure did," Lillian said.
"So did I," Lillian's mom said.
"I enjoyed having the two of you as my guests!"
When Bo's limo rolled away he had a feeling that Lillian didn't have much time left in her life.
A few days later Lillian was rushed to the emergency room as her breathing seized the night before. Lillian's mom sat in a chair beside her hospital bed, hearing the ventilator breath for her.
Bo heard a knock at his hotel room door. He opened the door to see that it was his manager on the side with a grim look on his face.
"What's wrong?" Bo asked.
"The young lady that you met a few nights ago before the concert was taken to the hospital very early this morning due to breathing complications."
"I've been having a feeling that she doesn't have much time left on earth."
"Are you going to visit her in the hospital?
"I think I should!"
Bo left his hotel room and got into his car and drove to the hospital where Lillian was at.
"I'm looking for Lillian Miller's room," Bo asked a nurse at the nurse's station.
"She is in room 332," the nurse said.
"Thank you very much!"
Bo walked from the nurse's station up to the hospital room. When he got to the room, he knocked on the open door. Lillian's mom looked up from her seat by Lillian's bed with tears in her eyes. She smiled a weak smile at Bo.
"Thank you for coming, Bo!" she said.
"I felt that I was needed here than anywhere else!"
Bo walked to the opposite side of Lillian's bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed and gently took her hand in his. It broke his heart to see her in the bed with the ventilator breathing for her.
The doctor came in and asked Bo and Lillian's mother to leave the room, so he can take some tests. Lillian's mother was hesitant, but she did leave the room. Lillian's mother and Bo went to a nearby waiting room. Bo then gave her a much-needed hug.
"I needed that!" she said afterwards.
A little while later the doctor came out and said," Mrs. Miller, I'm afraid that there, isn't anything else that we can do. The only thing that's keeping her alive are the machines."
"What are my options?"
"One is to keep the machines on and she will never recover or we pull the plug!"
"I think that we should pull the plug, Lillian's mother said as tears rolled down her face.
The doctor walked with Lillian's mother and Bo to her room. The doctor and a nurse turned off the machines and took out the ventilator. Mrs. Miller and Bo sat on either side of Lillian until her heart took it's last beat. Mrs. Miller then broke down in tears and Bo went around the bed and gave her a hug.
A few days later, at the funeral, Mrs. Miller had asked Bo to sing Lillian's favorite of his songs. Bo agreed, knowing that he will never forget Lillian.
I've been down and I'm nothing at all.
And sometimes I feel I've grown.
Never try to let it show,
But I'm not alone.
If you sing this song,
I'll take you there,
If you don't care.
Going to the Valley of Angels,
to swim in the deep blue sea.
Surrounded by your faith and your glory,
is where I find my peace
True peace,
In the Valley of Angels...
In the Valley of Angels.
Heard so many stories, I thought they were lies (but you know they're true.)
I know that I have quit before I even tried (ahhh, but you could not worry.)
I stood up one day and found myself.
But I'm not alone.
If you sing this song,
I'll take you there.
If you don't care...
Then go with me!
Going to the Valley of Angels,
To swim in the deep blue sea.
Surrounded by your faith and your glory,
is where I find my peace...
You know I find some peace,
...in the Valley of Angels.
[instrumental bridge]
All you ever dreamed to see..
You can touch, you don't believe.
Lying here on angels' wings...
Going to the Valley of Angels,
to swim in the deep blue sea.
Surrounded by your faith and your glory,
is where I find my peace...
You know i find some peace.
You know i'll take you there,
No, if you don't care...
Ohhhhh, in the Valley of Angels.
(Going to the Valley of Angels)
To the Valley of Angels
(Going to the Valley of Angels)
Ahaaaa...yeah