Lindon Beckford is a talented singer with the most unique stage — the corridors of a hospital where he works as a transport worker. While he moves patients from one room to the next, he soothes their nerves and heals their souls with the dulcet sound of his voice. Though he brings comfort to anxious patients, Beckford himself struggles with panic and anxiety attacks.
He used to sing live on the stages of nightclubs in Massachusetts and Maine, but he stopped due the overwhelming anxiety that began overshadowing his performance abilities. “I would forget my lyrics,” he said. The panic would “drive you crazy. You’re nervous … you start a song, but you start it in the wrong key” and can’t finish. “Anxiety can put you in a bad spot.” He eventually sought out medical help, receiving a prescription for anti-anxiety pills that he now only takes if he has to perform in front of a crowd.
Beckford recalled a time when a patient, Barbara Tipon, had made a request of him for an Elvis song. He couldn’t think of any Elvis songs, and the all-too-familiar anxiety kicked in. His internal repertoire went blank one by one like a row of dominoes as he rolled Tipon down the corridor. Beckford had to remind himself to calm his mind and to focus on the joy he brought to patients with his talent. He regained his composure and began his serenade.
Not every day can be a perfect day for Beckford, but he makes so many people smile with his natural vocal gift. Another patient, Vera Vincentini, said of him, “He’s not just a man that transports us,” she said. “He makes us happy. He makes our day bright.” Though Beckford may not be a doctor, he certainly offers patients a special kind of healing.
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