A 5-Year-Old Girl with Deaf Parents Captures Audience by Signing during Holiday Concert
A little girl was hailed the star of the evening when she grabbed everyone's attention at her holiday concert. She sang Christmas carols and fluently used sign language for her deaf mom and dad.
Children are known to have hearts of gold. Kids who grow up in loving, caring, and supportive families absorb the positive qualities from their environment — no wonder some of them turn out to be wise beyond their years.
The same was true for five-year-old Claire Koch from Clearwater, Florida, an intelligent and kind-hearted girl. While it was a trait only known to her family, everything changed when her soul-stirring video clip went viral eight years ago.
Claire makes an "O" using her hands. [Left]. Claire signing during the concert for her deaf parents. [Right] | Photo: YouTube.com/Lori Koch
AN EPIC PERFORMANCE
Holidays are the perfect time to celebrate with your loved ones. Something about the festive season brings people together, offering a chance to share love and familial bonds.
For kids, Christmas and New Year offer a golden opportunity to ask Santa for gifts and relish in the warm feelings. Who doesn't like singing Christmas carols?
Like other kids of her age, Claire loved singing, which is why she was part of the choir for the holiday concert. In 2013, she gathered with other choir members for a brilliant Christmas performance and stole millions of hearts.
Claire Koch performs at the holiday concert. | Photo: YouTube.com/Lori Koch
A WARM-HEARTED KID
As the other kids sang carols using pre-determined choreographed moves, Claire joined them too, but she did much more than a bunch of hand gestures and facial expressions.
The three-minute forty-second video clip went viral, garnering comments and likes from several netizens.
She willingly signed during the holiday concert so her deaf parents, Thomas and Lori Koch, could fathom the carols. Unlike her parents, Claire can hear, but sign language came naturally to her.
Claire signing during the holiday concert. | Photo: YouTube.com/Lori Koch
THE TRUE HOLIDAY SPIRIT
She learned American Sign Language very early and could fluently communicate with her mom and dad. Surprisingly, her parents never used her as an interpreter, but her holiday performance proved her profound connection with her parents.
Claire and the other choir members sang famous carols like "Jingle Bells," "Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer," and many others, and the entire time, she signed and sang the rhymes.
The little angel melted hearts with her incredible energy throughout the concert and stood out from the other choir members.
THE HEARTWARMING VIDEO
Her mom, Lori, shared her daughter's heartwarming choir performance on YouTube on December 10, 2013. The three-minute forty-second video clip went viral, garnering comments and likes from several netizens. The caption read:
"Very entertaining video of a KODA (kid of deaf adults) enthusiastically singing holiday songs using sign language and animated facial expressions. Watch this and it would be the best 3:40 minutes you've spent in your day."
Undoubtedly, little Claire impressed the world with her phenomenal singing skills and contagious energy. She stood out from the crowd and melted even the callous hearts. Thank you, Claire, for teaching us the importance of love and kindness!