The Boy Who Loved Justin Bieber

Julie Reyes, DNP, RN

He lived in the hospital more than he was able to spend time at the home provided for his sister and him through foster parents. His "family" were the the nurses and staff on the floor where he was raised, as his foster family lived nearly three hours away and were only able to visit for a short time on weekends.

Sam, born with multiple congenital problems, had a poor prognosis. However, he did not know it. He ran amuck around the unit, sitting in nurses laps in the nursing station, following the Child Life Specialist as she rounded to visit other patients, encouraging others to sit up and paint "because it's fun!" Sam wanted other patients to come and play with him in his room, where he lived, and which looked like a toy store.

His walls were covered with his artwork and posters of Justin Bieber, his hero. In fact, Sam loved the popstar's music so much, the CLS gave him a CD player and many of the singer's CDs. Quite often, Sam would have the music blaring and he would be dancing in his room, and then would throw a fit when he was asked to turn down the volume so other patients could rest.

Try as they might, attempts to have the popstar visit the patient were unsuccessful. Apparently, there are a lot of patients who would love to spend time with him. But this was Sam's biggest wish - to "play" with Justin. All he could talk about day and night was Justin and his songs. He knew every word to every song.

One night was a particularly rough night for Sam, as he was really missing his sister. His nurse pulled him into her lap so he could cuddle. He wanted his nurse to use her phone to show him youtube videos of his hero. At the time, the nurse was charting and informed Sam he could look through the photos on her phone, and after she was done charting on the computer, they would look up songs together and watch the videos.

So, the eight year old boy sitting on her lap scrolled through the photos on the phone. A few minutes into it, he turned and excitedly yelled, "JUSTIN!!! JUSTIN!!!" and pointed to the photo of the nurse's son, a 16 year old high school student and hospital volunteer - who - in this edited photo - could have passed for a look alike. The nurse smiled and hugged Sam, and said, "That is my son."

Sam could not believe "Justin" was her son! He climbed off of her lap and took the phone and showed everyone the photo of "Justin". Everyone was 'super excited' to know that the nurse had a pop star for a son. When Sam came back to the nurse, he gave her the phone and said, "Call him PLEASE! I want to say hi!" The nurse's heart flipped and tears sprang to her eyes as she looked down at her young patient. Could this be the answer to his wish?

She looked at her charge nurse for confirmation of her thoughts. She received a slight nod of affirmation. Looking back at Sam, she asked, "You want to talk to Justin tonight?" Sam's smile was brighter than the sun and he nodded vigorously. Praying that her son would catch on, she opened her phone and dialed "Justin".

"Hey Mom". "Hi Justin Bieber, I have a little patient here who loves your songs and has your photos all over his wall. He just wants to say hi to you, since you are his hero, ok?" .....pause...."Really? Yeah, I would love to talk to him!"

The nurse pulled Sam into her lap again and explained to Sam so that her son could hear the conversation, "I have Justin on the line and he wants to say hi to you - he is excited to know that someone likes his music!" (the other nurses in the station stifle their laughs). "Here, Sam, say 'hi' to Justin." The nurse hands Sam the phone and she hears her son talking on the other end. Sam, who is too excited to speak, just beams and nods his head. "Justin" continues talking, telling him about his band, about travelling, about singing, about guitars, etc. After about 5 minutes of talking, the nurse saves her son. She tells Sam, "Ok, Sam, maybe we can talk to Justin another time. You can talk to him for one more minute and then you have to go to bed." Justin acknowledges that and continues to talk to Sam, telling him he hopes he feels better soon, and maybe Sam can color him a picture and send it to him with his mom.

The phone call is ended without one word uttered by Sam. His face, however...brought tears to everyone who saw him. "Talking" to Justin was the best experience of this child's life.

Several week later, "Justin" was volunteering at the hospital and asked his mom if he could come eat dinner (her breakfast) with her. Knowing he would be on the floor, the nurses began planning. What if "Justin" came to visit Sam? One of the nurses told Sam, who never would talk to strangers, "I think you are going to have a special visitor tonight." "Who?!" Sam asked, jumping up and down excitedly. "I think Justin Bieber is coming!"

It is rare to see a kid "spaz out" in total excitement in the hospital, but that is exactly what Sam did! He stood in front of the elevators and every time the door opened he was disappointed it was not "Justin". "When is he coming?! When?! How much longer?!" Little Sam was so impatient and time must have stood still for him. And then, the elevator "dinged" and the doors opened, and out stepped "Justin".

Sam rushed to him and wrapped his thin arms around those long legs and would not let him go. As "Justin" bent down and pulled Sam into a hug, there were tears in his eyes. This was a meeting neither one would ever forget, and both would cherish in their hearts forever.

Two weeks later, Sam passed away, surrounded by loving nurses who played youtube videos of his hero as they held his hand and stroked his hair. Sam's wish came true - through the love of a stranger.

The Boy Who Loved Justin Bieber

About Julie Reyes, DNP, RN

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