Back in 2017, the world became fascinated with the remarkable story of Angelica Hale, the brave 9-year-old girl who set the world on fire with her incredible performances on America’s Got Talent. When Angelica was five, she contracted pneumonia, and her infection was severe enough to cause her lung to start bleeding into her abdomen. The little girl then developed sepsis, a dangerous blood infection that damaged her kidneys. When James Hale and his Wife, Eva Norman, learned of their daughter’s condition from doctors, the parents feared the worse. James said that his wife called him the next morning and told him that doctors were beginning surgery to install a chest tube.
James described the news as “earth-shattering,” noting that her blood plasma had become polluted, and her lungs “were just ravaged.” Their little girl was admitted into Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), where doctors worked tirelessly for three days to try and stabilize and stop Angelica’s infection. She was then flown by helicopter to the Englston hospital, which happens to be one of the few ECMO centers in the southeast. There she was given extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 12 days. James and his wife prepared for the worse. But after surgery on her lung, which by then had lost almost half it’s functionality. However, Angelica pulled through, and after over a year on dialysis to filter the pollutants from her blood, she received a kidney implant and began her long road to recover. The little girl had always dreamed of becoming a singer one day, but with a damaged lung, it seemed her dream was lost forever. However, her parents didn’t give up, and with the help of a singing coach, Angelica’s voice came back stronger than ever! In 2017, she stood before the judges of America’s got talent, a very strong, bubbly, and happy little girl. Angelica had already faced death, but still, she was very nervous before going out on stage.
Image via YouTube
The judges were charmed when she walked out on stage and heard about her remarkable story. But that charm quickly turned to awe and amazement when they heard Angelica sing “Rise Up’ by Andra Day. Simon simply could not believe such a colossal voice could fit inside her little body!
Image via YouTube
Watch the miraculous Angelica deliver one of the most stunning performances in America’s Got Talent history in the video below.
