Courageous Audrey Rose sings national anthem before 49ers-Cowboys game
Oct 3, 2016 at 10:11 AM
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Nine-year old Audrey Rose Walker, who wasn't even supposed to survive birth according to doctors, sang the national anthem in front of the Levi's Stadium crowd on Sunday afternoon prior to kickoff between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.
"When Jim and Heather Walker went to get an initial ultrasound on their expected baby, they were given news that no loving parents want or deserve to hear," wrote our own Al Sacco
in his feature on Audrey weeks ago. "Their doctor's informed them that the baby would be born dead or, if lucky, come out blue and need immediate life-saving surgery. Against all odds, Audrey survived her birth, and came out pink and crying."
However, the challenge for Audrey and her family was not over. She was born with severe heart disease and Bilateral Anophthalmia – the absence of eyeballs. Her parents were told that she would likely die before the age of two if surgeries did not work. "Audrey persevered and was talking at seven months old," wrote Sacco. "By the time she was 17 months, she was not only singing, but was able to belt out complete songs."
RELATED Audrey's courageous story and her bond with the 49ers
Now, the nine-year old Audrey has fulfilled one of her many dreams. She sang the national anthem in front of fans of her favorite football team. Her mother shared the inspirational moment via Facebook, which you can watch below.
"Her performance even got the attention of Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, who went onto the field to give her a hug," Matt Maiocco of
CSN Bay Area reported via Facebook.
Audrey belongs to Camp Taylor, which is a free, medically supervised camp for Children with heart disease. She even had an opportunity to ask 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to marry her. You can read all about
Audrey's backstory in Sacco's feature found here.
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