On the stage on America’s Got Talent, a young woman with third-degree burns brilliantly performed a cover of Ed Sheeran’s top hit “Thinking Out Loud.”
Kechi Okwuchi from Nigeria was in a tragic plane crash accident in 2005 in her home country. A Sosoliso Airlines plane lost control and was slammed right onto the ground, bursting into flames. The accident killed 107 of the 109 people on board, including sixty of her school friends. Kechi was only one of the two survivors and suffered major third-degree burns.
Kechi has a warm and extremely crisp voice in what was a very emotional audition. She absolutely wowed the judges and even received a standing ovation from the audience and the judges.
When judge Simon Cowell asked her how long she had been singing, Kechi shared her story.
“I was in a plane crash when I was 16 years old back in Nigeria, it took the lives of 107 out of 109 passengers and I was one of the two survivors,” Kechi emotionally recalls.
Simon then asked how she could deal with such a tragic event.
“Lying in the hospital bed with bandages head to foot, not being able to move or do anything else, music was my escape and that’s why it means so much to me.”
Some members of the audience had tears in their eyes as it was truly a beautiful performance.
The young woman had to undergo more than a hundred surgeries to treat her wounds and had to undergo skin grafts. Despite the constant trips to hospitals for surgeries, Kechi didn’t let her injuries stop her from achieving her dreams.
Kechi graduated summa cum laude from the University of Thomas majoring in Economics. Kechi was also accepted into graduate school so that she could attain her MBA.
Kechi’s family can’t afford to pay for her MBA, which is why she has turned towards crowdfunding to see if people are willing to help her achieve her dreams and believe in her.
I suffered third-degree burns over 65% of my body, and ever since the accident, my life has been a series of difficult surgeries and reconstructive operations, all to give me back some independence and the much needed strength to continue living life as normally as possible.
Last year, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of St. Thomas with a BBA in Economics. I have since been working at a non-profit organization in Houston. Though it has been rewarding, as an undergraduate, I had no time for internships because I was always in and out of surgery, so it was that much harder to find a paid job after graduating, especially as an international student.
You can check Kechi’s GoFundMe page over here, where she’s currently close to reaching her goal to cover for her tuition. One thing is for sure: this brave young woman is an inspiration to us all.
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