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SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah mom shared the unforgettable birthday gift granted to her son with special needs, 11-year-old Champion.
He's nonverbal but responds to music. In fact, Champion is a big fan of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
It started when he was a baby recovering from his first heart surgery.
"We would play that choir almost constantly because it welcomed the spirit," Morgan Casey said. "In the Battle Hymn (of the) Republic, we noticed the trend the day after his heart surgery his heart rate would go up when the crescendo would start to happen."
Casey posted a video about it on her Instagram account, @morgancaseyart.
She surprised Champion with a trip to the Conference Center to hear the choir practice, but when they got there, they discovered it was closed to the public. But Casey said some "angels" opened a door for her brother — and the family "snuck in."
"As soon as the choir started singing, that's when he just bum-shuffled all the way down the stairs," she said.
When asked what this moment did for her heart, Casey said it meant everything.
"Every birthday we're able to have (with) Champion ... it's an incredible gift," she said.
It's been a tough year for Champion. He suffers from epilepsy, and in April, his family almost lost him. So Casey said checking this off her bucket list was a blessing.
