Competing on American Idol would be a stressful time for anybody, but for contestant Dimitrius Graham that sentiment rang especially true as he competed in the early stages of the competition while his mom was preparing for heart surgery back home in Baltimore.
On Sunday night’s episode of the ABC series — which brought the top 40 to Hawaii — Graham told Bobby Bones ahead of his live performance in the Aloha state that despite being miles away, he was still trying to be there for his mom.
“Preparing for heart surgery just our main focus right now,” Graham said during the show. “One of the most amazing times of Hollywood week was when I was able to FaceTime my mom and have Katy Perry pray for her. That was big. She wasn’t expecting that, and I just wanted to share that moment with her. It was really great, and it meant a lot to me. Just yesterday, I was walking down Baltimore and North Avenue and now I’m in Hawaii for free. Like what? I’m just excited.”‘
During Hollywood week, Graham asked judges Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan if he could FaceTime his mom while he sang Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings” in an effort to raise her spirits. It was then that Perry recited a sweet prayer to Graham’s mother.
In Hawaii, Graham went on to wow the crowd and the judges with a rendition of Disclosure and Sam Smith’s “Latch” in Hawaii. By the end, he had all three judges out of their seats giving him a standing ovation.
Before finding out from the judges whether he made it to the top 20 or not, Graham told the camera: “I’m definitely not ready for this journey to end. Part of me is like, ‘You’ve got these tattoos on your face, you’re different, you’re not like everybody else, America doesn’t want to see that.’ I need this, ‘Yes.’ I need to move forward, I can’t move backward.”
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Though he tricks his fellow contestants waiting outside into thinking he didn’t make it, he soon reveals the truth. When he FaceTimes his mom to tell her the good news, she can’t stop screaming and doing what he calls her “happy dance.”
“I am so proud of you,” Graham’s mother can be heard saying repeatedly on the call.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
from PEOPLE.com https://ift.tt/2TIJ8xL
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