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Her Angel Wears a Cowboy Hat
Valerie Crockett Speaks of Her Daughter Emily
Valerie and Walter Crockett
May-15-2001
©2001 iBluegrass.com. All rights reserved.
We are each of us angels with only one wing. And we can only fly by embracing each other. Luciano de Crescenzo
I believe there are angels among us. I also believe angels have the ability to speak many languages. Emily Crockett found her angel during a particularly difficult time in her life - an angel who brought comfort and strength when no one else could. Emily's angel speaks to her through his music. His voice quiets her heart, lifts her spirit and his message sent a healing touch to a young girl in need.
Emily is the fifteen-year-old daughter of Valerie and Walter Crockett. At the age of six, she was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor. The story of Emily and her angel is told in the Crockett's latest release on Barking Dog Records titled 'Emily's Angel' - the title song was written by Valerie. It's a story of comfort, hope, strength and the magic of music.
'Music is so much a part of the human spirit,' says Emily's mother, Valerie, 'but some people take to it more than others. Emily has always loved music loved to sing and even at a young age she would write these little classical pieces. It always soothed her. She started listening to country music several years ago when she was having back spasms and had to remain in bed. We were flipping through the stations and she said 'stop there' and the radio has been on 24 hours a day ever since!'
It was during these hours of listening to the radio that Emily's angel first spoke to her. His words of encouragement flowed like 'The River' and encouraged her to join in 'The Dance of hope.' The music enveloped her and as if by magic these songs brought a new strength and comfort. Emily's angel, Garth Brooks, had become an important part of her life.
'I've always liked his music it's so meaningful. His music is motivational - I get strength from it - I can always get comfort from it' Emily says. 'I went to see him perform and he put on such a great show he was so genuine and sincere. I didn't feel like I was in a place with thousands of other people. I felt like he was singing to me. He called his parents on stage and told them how much he loved them. I thought that was so special. From then on, there just wasn't anyone else.'
Late in 1998 Emily's condition worsened and she was plagued with violent headaches and severe light sensitivity. Lying in a darkened room with ice packs to ease her headaches, Emily turned to the country music on WKLB in Boston. It was during this time she told her mother she knew someday she would eventually get to meet Garth. Valerie knew the odds of this happening were very slim. But angels have a way of narrowing the odds and a few days later a call came informing them that Emily would indeed be meeting Brooks.
 Emily and Valerie were whisked away to New York City where their meeting with Brooks was arranged prior to his appearance on the daytime show 'The View.' There Emily had the opportunity to meet the man whose music had so inspired and encouraged her. To her delight, she and her mother were invited by Brooks to spend the next three days in New York with him and his family as he finished the last of his tour schedule - all at his expense.
'Garth is a really special, regular guy, he doesn't act like a star. He talks to everyone. He makes time for everyone. He doesn't have to be like that. When I met him he just walked up and said 'hi I'm Garth Brooks.' He very encouraging and caring but he's not afraid to be different.'
Although still plagued with sever headaches and light sensitivity during the next three days Emily lived her dream. Brooks treated them as though they were part of his family, put them in a fine hotel, bought clothes for them and was careful that all the lights were dimmed backstage for Emily's benefit.
'We could buy anything we wanted we felt so rich! Even though I wasn't feeling well everything on the trip was so exciting and fun. Spending time with him was great. He told me I was doing so badly because I was 13 and 13 is an unlucky number and you know he was right! I was better when I turned 14! He kept telling me to always believe you just have to believe. He said if you don't believe that then you've never really heard a Garth Brooks song.'
When the time came for Emily and Valerie to say their good byes, Emily whispered to her mother, 'I love him' and Valerie encouraged her to tell him.
'I was hugging him goodbye and said, 'I love you thank you - you've done so much for me' he said 'I love you too but I haven't done anything for you you have to believe in yourself and believe that you've done this and you have to look in the mirror and see that beautiful girl who has done this for herself. Believe in yourself.' Then Brooks handed her his tour guitar.
Following their trip, Emily underwent surgery and shortly after that she and Valerie penned their 'Garth Songs', 'Emily's Angel' and 'One Special Day.'
'I had started 'Emily's Angel' but hadn't gotten around to finishing it. I felt like I could have written a dozen verses!' Valerie exclaimed. 'Emily was out of town with a group of kids when she called and told me she had finished her song 'One Special Day' she sang the whole thing on the phone. By the time she got back I had finished 'Emily's Angel.'
The week before this interview was conducted, Emily and Valerie had the opportunity to visit with Garth Brooks in Nashville and present him with a copy of the CD. Valerie asked him to read the liner notes and as he did his eyes filled with tears as he realized it had been dedicated to him, Emily's Angel.
 'I think about all of this and my eyes fill up with tears. I wonder myself why this is so important to her how he has touched her, why it makes her so happy, so light of spirit, full of energy and then to have this personal attention from him. It just helps keep her alive,' declares Valerie. 'In the bridge of the song it says 'She turns his love into strength to live and dream.I That's just so true'
Yes, angels can be found in some of the most unusual places and no one can be sure when they will make their presence known. Emily's angel touches a part of her soul that no one else can providing comfort, strength and hope. There's really no explanation for it, no words to express why it happens. That's just what angels do.
For more information about Emily or to order a copy of the CD, 'Emily's Angel' visit Valerie and Walter Crockett's website at www.vwCrockett.com
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