Nine-year-old Melody has spent nearly 80% of her life in the hospital due to Rett syndrome. Her illness affects her brain function and consequently her ability to walk and talk. Furthermore, Melody suffers from a vast array of complications including, but not limited to severe chronic pain, scoliosis, internal bleeding, and epilepsy.
She relies on things such as her feeding tube and morphine to get through each day.
Then one day, Melody’s family stumbled upon a pain killer that couldn’t be prescribed by any medical professional. Her healing was found in the soundtracks of Ed Sheeran. Melody’s mother, Karina, still remembers the initial time they discovered the musical medicine.
“The very first time she heard it, she couldn’t stop smiling at Ed on the TV,” Karina said. “Then every single time Ed came on TV from then on, Melody had the same reaction. One of those times Melody was in severe pain and Ed managed to pull her out of that pain episode. So now every time she’s in pain we have to put Ed’s videos on our phones, even the nurses.”
Due to Ed’s impact on Melody’s life, Karina wanted her daughter to meet him in person. She sent a video of Melody to Ed’s manager and was offered tickets as a result. Unfortunately, they had to decline the kind gesture due to her health.
However, when the video went viral and reached Ed’s manager once more, her dream became a reality. Melody learned that she was going to meet her favorite musician in person.
Soon thereafter, Ed showed up to her hospital room. He spent the next hour and a half talking with her and serenading her with her small pink guitar.
“A lot of people think that Melody [doesn’t] understand anything because she can’t speak, so they treat her like a baby,” Karina said. “But not Ed. He spoke to her normally, he got that she understands everything. He was so gentle with her and she was so gentle with him. Normally she can lash out in frustration but not once did she [do that] to Ed. She kept blowing him kisses so he gave her real kisses, she kept opening her arms to him so he kept giving her cuddles.”
As reported by ABC 7, after the two said their goodbyes, Ed assured the family that he wanted to keep in contact with Melody, even offering to let her sit in on his sound checks as a safe alternative to a crowded concert. Karina continued to thank Ed for the beauty he has brought into the lives of Melody and her family.
“I owe Ed Melody’s life. He is the very person who keeps her alive, she only fights because of him,” Karina raved. “She’s almost given up so many times but we put Ed’s [music] on and she starts fighting again. I was told she wouldn’t live past the age of 4 but she [will be] 10 in December. Ed Sheeran doesn’t realise the true impact he’s had on Melody and all her team who love Melody … I hope he never ever forgets her because we will never ever forget him or this moment.”
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