WATCH: Blake Shelton Performs Duet Of “God’s Country” With 6-Year-Old Fan Awaiting Heart Transplant

Last night during his show in Choctaw, OK at the Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, Country music superstar Blake Shelton shared the stage with a 6-year-old boy named Wyatt, who is currently waiting for a heart transplant, for a duet of…

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Madeleine O’Connell

Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her master’s degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Music Mayhem, she has been published in American Songwriter, Country Now, and Holler.Country. When she’s not attending a concert or adding new country music to her playlist, O’Connell spends her time dancing in the studio and traveling with her family.

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Posted on January 30, 2022

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Blake Shelton & 6-year-old Wyatt; Photo Courtesy of Harley McKee

Last night during his show in Choctaw, OK at the Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, Country music superstar Blake Shelton shared the stage with a 6-year-old boy named Wyatt, who is currently waiting for a heart transplant, for a duet of his chart-topping hit, “God’s Country.”

Earlier this month, Wyatt received the news that someone had gifted him tickets to attend Shelton’s Oklahoma concert on January 29, after his story received quite the buzz on social media. Wyatt’s mom, Harley McKee, shared the heartwarming moment of when she told her son that he would be attending his all-time favorite singer’s concert. His first thought was to make sure he brings his cell phone to document the exciting event.

“We just got the news that a very nice man who heard about how much Wyatt loves Blake Shelton has paid for his ticket to see him live!! He’s so excited!! I don’t know this man but thank you so much!!” the 6-year-old’s mom wrote on Facebook.

Wearing his Spider-Man backpack, that contained his medicines, and his “Wyatt Strong” t-shirt, Shelton noticed the young boy in the crowd holding up a sign and welcomed up on stage during the concert. Kneeling beside Shelton, Wyatt silently listened to the country superstar read the sign that he was holding.

“Your smallest, biggest fan from Lake Texoma, 6 years old waiting on a heart transplant,” Shelton read. “Think y’all are having a bad day, put that into perspective right there, man,” he told the audience as they cheered on Wyatt.

“The next note he has on here, he asks if he can sing this song with me,” he stated before asking Wyatt if he was going to join him on singing the verse or chorus of “God’s Country,” a song co-written by Devin Dawson, Jordan Schmidt and HARDY, which appears on Shelton’s compilation album, Fully Loaded: God’s Country.

Blake Shelton & 6-year-old Wyatt; Photo Courtesy of Harley McKee
Blake Shelton & 6-year-old Wyatt; Photo Courtesy of Harley McKee

With his hands in his pocket and a wide stance, the young boy prepared for his unforgettable spotlight moment. Shelton began the song with his arm around Wyatt, holding the mic between them as they sang the hit together.

At the end of their duet, Wyatt received an applause from the audience and a hug from Shelton before he was carefully ushered back into the crowd with his mom. Shelton finished up the song on his own, pointing towards Wyatt and giving him a shoutout at the end.

Following their duet, the young boy’s mom told Music Mayhem that Wyatt was happier than ever after sharing the stage with Shelton.

“He was just walking on cloud 9 like he was the coolest kid there!” McKee said.

I don’t know if Blake Shelton will ever see this but I just want to let him know he is awesome and officially my favorite person he absolutely made Wyatt’s day thank you so much to him and everyone who stopped us to tell him how great he was on stage and told him they are praying for him!!! Definitely a night to remember!!! #WyattStrong

Posted by Harley McKee on Saturday, January 29, 2022

His mom shared the sweet moment on social media saying, “I don’t know if Blake Shelton will ever see this, but I just want to let him know he is awesome and officially my favorite person. He absolutely made Wyatt’s day thank you so much to him and everyone who stopped us to tell him how great he was on stage and told him they are praying for him!! Definitely a night to remember” adding #WyattStrong at the end of the post. 

Many people took to social media to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience for the young boy. 

“That gave me chills,” one person commented. “Brought tears to my eyes,” another wrote under the video.

6-year-old Wyatt & his mom Harley McKee

Wyatt’s mom, Harley McKee, told Music Mayhem that her son “was born with Hypoplastic left heart syndrome,” which means the left side of the young boy’s heart didn’t grow properly.

She continued to share that Wyatt needed three surgeries; One at just five days old, other at six months old, and another at three years old. However, his heart was “too sick” to get the third surgery, and instead he was added to a transplant list and has been given a “new medication that requires him to have a long term IV in his arm and a backpack with medicine that runs continuously.” 

The 6-year-old is still awaiting a heart transplant and has been for about a year.

“There just might be some things in life that he might not get to do because we don’t know his outcome,” McKee told KXII. “When will he get a heart transplant? You know, will everything be alright? Will it last? His life is just, it’s always unknown, anybody’s is unknown, but his is more unknown.”

McKee also told the outlet, that one of Shelton’s songs keep him strong and happy throughout the journey. “He just came home one day and just kept yelling to play ‘God’s Country,’ ‘God’s Country,’ and for a couple of years now, anytime we get in the car, we got to play God’s Country all the time,” McKee added.

So when Wyatt’s mom got to witness her son’s dreams of singing with Shelton come true, she couldn’t help but to be overcome with emotion.

“Oh, I mean, I cried,” McKee said. “He got to do something that he really, really loved and really wanted to do. It’s a pretty big deal.”

To keep up on Wyatt’s journey join his Facebook group, Wyatt Strong, where his mom Harley keeps everyone up-to-date on his progress.

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Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her master’s degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Music Mayhem, she has been published in American Songwriter, Country Now, and Holler.Country. When she’s not attending a concert or adding new country music to her playlist, O’Connell spends her time dancing in the studio and traveling with her family.

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