Nurse and Cancer Patient Sing a Moving Duet of 'O Holy Night' in the Hospital

In 2019 a nurse decided to brighten a patient's day by joining him in singing a beautiful rendition of "O Holy Night." The video quickly went viral and moved many viewers to tears.

An oncology nurse at Sarah Cannon Cancer Centre, Nashville, formed a special bond with a cancer patient. He had been battling cancer since 2010, and the 67-year-old was later diagnosed with low-grade follicular lymphoma.

As a longtime guitarist, Penn Pennington enjoyed doing what he loved with nurse Alex Collazo. Pennington's daughter recorded the video, garnering a massive online response. The memorable encounter touched many hearts.

HIS TIME IN THE HOSPITAL

He had undergone years of chemotherapy and went into remission. However, his cancer sadly came back. The patient said: "Because it's so aggressive, we're having to hit it hard."

He added: "I've been told that it's more life-threatening, it's more aggressive, fast-growing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma." Time in the hospital was not enjoyable, but his nurse did everything in her power to make his stay better.

HE PRAISED THE NURSE

She went above and beyond to brighten his day. He was heartbroken that his cancer had returned. However, singing a Christmas song put a smile on his face. Pennington praised the nurse and called her a "bubbly" and "positive" person.

As the pair found out more about each other, they discovered they both loved music. He played guitar since he was nine years old and the two connected as they discussed music.

THE DUO CONNECTED

The 24-year-old nurse said: "We connected with our musical interest, and I wanted to do something for him to help him forget that he was in the hospital and just bring him some happiness." One day, she brought her guitar along.

They had a special duet. Netizens loved the performance, and one person wrote:

"That was nice! It was so evident that the nurse-patient bond is quite strong."

THE ONLINE REACTION

Another added that it moved them to tears. They said: "What a beautiful moment. Beautifully sung, and the harmonizing is amazing!!!! The fact that his nurse goes beyond just being his nurse is beautiful."

Collazo is determined to bring joy and laughter to her patients. She said:

"They're having a rough go, and I wanted to make a point for all my patients to help them forget that they're in the hospital."

THE POWER OF KINDNESS

Many lauded her sweet gesture, and the video garnered thousands of likes and comments. Users also offered well wishes for Pennington.

The duet displayed kindness in action and showed the beauty of spreading love and care for others. The simple action meant a lot to Pennington and certainly made his hospital stay a bit more bearable.