In March 2025, country music icon Blake Shelton paused his Friends & Heroes tour to fulfill the final wish of 12-year-old Emily Harper, a brave leukemia patient at the Jimmy Everest Center in Oklahoma. Her one dream: to hear Shelton sing her favorite song, “God Gave Me You.”
On March 10, Shelton quietly entered her hospital room, guitar in hand. What followed was an intimate acoustic performance of “Austin,” “Honey Bee,” and, finally, the song that meant the world to her. Emily, smiling through her tears and holding a stuffed bear named “Blake,” lit up the room with joy.
Shelton, known for his generous heart and support of causes like cancer research and disaster relief, created a moment of pure love and connection that those present will never forget.
Ten days later, Emily passed away. During a concert in Greensboro, Shelton honored her memory with a moving dedication of “God Gave Me You,” telling the crowd, “She’s not with us anymore, but I know she’s up there listening.”
For Emily and her family, that one serenade became a lasting gift of comfort and peace.