NEED TO KNOW
A girl who survived the Texas flooding disaster at Camp Mystic rewrote a popular song to honor those lost in the tragedy. Now, after going viral, she just got to meet her favorite Christian singer, Lauren Daigle.
Skyler Derrington, 12, and her parents joined FOX & Friends in New York City on Tuesday, July 29, just over three weeks after the flood, which killed 27 campers and counselors.
In the aftermath of what happened, Skyler rewrote the song “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen with some help from her mom Lacey to tell her own survival story and honor all of the girls at the camp who died in the flood.
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After singing her rendition on the show, Skyler got to meet Daigle, her favorite singer.
Daigle, who said the performance had her in tears, told Skyler that she saw a video of the young girl online and sent it to members of her family in a group text message thread.
“Here’s the beautiful thing,” Daigle told a star-struck Skyler, “tragedy happens in so many people’s lives, and what you experienced was unbelievable. But you know what? You took the tragedy and you turned it into something incredible. You turned it into something beautiful.”
She continued, “That, to me, is so telling of your faith, it’s so telling of the hope that you have in Jesus, that you could take a tough situation and turn it into something beautiful. So, I just want to applaud you for that.”
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Skyler gushed over Daigle, telling the singer that she has loved her music since she was a little kid. “I’ve just, I’ve loved all your music and it’s just crazy to meet you,” she said.
Daigle went on to tell Skyler that it was “awesome” to see her using her gift, adding, “when we were standing back there, you did that little run. I looked at my friend, I was like, oh, okay, she’s got it. It’s amazing.”
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As for Skyler, the child says that she’ll keep leaning on her faith.
I’ve just always been a Christian and always believe that God is with me no matter what happens,” she said.
More than 130 people died as a result of the Texas flood disaster on July 4 after the Guadalupe River breached its banks.
In addition to the young campers and counselors who died at Camp Mystic, owner Dick Eastland was also killed while trying to save girls from the floodwaters.
To learn how to help support the victims and recovery efforts from the Texas floods, click here.
