If you were watching the RNC convention Monday night, you had the pleasure of hearing an absolutely beautiful rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner." That's not just my opinion. Many pundits and social media users couldn't help noting how impressed they were by Marlana VanHoose's show stopping performance.
Even more amazing than her stellar pipes is this young lady's story.
Marlana was born with Cytomegalovirus (CMV), by the time she was a few weeks old it was discovered that she was blind. Her optic nerve never formed. She was not expected to live past one year. At the age of two, Marlana was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy.
Well, the doctors were wrong. Not only did Maralana live longer than a year (she's now 20), but she beat the virus and became a touring singing sensation. As a member of the Artist Music Guild, she was the 2015 recipient for Youth Artist of the Year, before eventually making her way to the RNC convention stage.
She may not be a world-famous pop star, but Maralana was the perfect choice to sing the national anthem.
Learn more about VanHoose's inspirational journey here - and maybe take a listen or two of her catchy song "Lemonade."