'A Strong Man of Faith': America's Got Talent Mourns the 'Singing Doctor'
On Tuesday America's Got Talent paid tribute to 29 year old Brandon Rogers, a physician who wowed the judges earlier this year with his amazing voice, but tragically died in June.
"There is something so special about your voice," show judge Heidi Klum told Rogers after his performance.
Simon Cowell declared Rogers' vocals to be "stunning."
"I've never said this to a doctor before," Cowell said. "You're sick. You are one of the best singers we've had in the competition so far."
Rogers, a native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and a Christian, died in a car accident on June 11th.
It seems he had always wanted to be a medical professional.
He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Virginia in 2009 and graduated from UVA's medical school in 2015.
"I still remember the day I prayed for the things I now have," Rogers posted while donning a white doctor's coat in an Instagam post.
During his appearance on AGT, Brandon told the judges what inspired him to become a doctor.
He shared that when he was 6 years old, he came home and found his mother "laying in a pool of blood." She was rushed to a local hospital. He said "the doctors were like heroes. They saved her life. And it made me want to become the doctor that I am today."
He went on to say, "I feel like I'm in a field where I'm actually making a difference."
"And there can be some really tough days, too. My way to cope with the stress has always been the music."
When Rogers auditioned for AGT, he was already well known to many on social media.
Known as the "singing doctor," he often posted videos online of himself singing, including gopsel songs.
His singing talent was so good that he was invited to perform with the R&B group Boys II Men after someone shared a video of him covering one of the group's songs. Video of his performance with the group went viral.
His death sparked an outpouring of support and tributes online.
"He cared about his patients like they were his own family and friends," said close friend Dr. Elizabeth Johnson. "He was a strong man of faith, and he cared for his patients with that same fierceness and love."
Members of Boys II Men expressed their condolences calling Rogers "...a really good person and a really good singer...It hurts to know that the world will never have a chance to witness what his impact on the world could have been as a doctor and in the music world."
On Twitter AGT judge Mel B expressed shocked at Brandon's untimely and tragic death.
'Devastated RIP Brandon Rogers," she wrote.
Devastated RIP Brandon Rogers
— Melanie Brown (@OfficialMelB) July 12, 2017
America's Got Talent host Tyra Banks posted video of Rogers' audition on her Facebook page saying, "On June 11th one of our contestants, Brandon Rogers, tragically passed away in a car accident. At the request of his family we would like to honor his memory by sharing his audition with you.
After singing Stevie Wonder's "Ribbons in the Sky," Rogers was voted to the next round of the show's competition, something he never go the chance to complete.
But many believe he's now singing with the angels in Heaven.
