When Dustin Chapman was a senior in high school, he was diagnosed with a rare, incurable disease that affects his esophagus. After many hospital visits and eventually undergoing surgery, his symptoms went away, but at the beginning of 2017, they flared up again. His doctors are unsure of what to do next, because there is no “permanent fix” for his disease.
This news would be upsetting for a person any age, but at just 19 years old, Chapman knew he would have to live his life with this rare disease, knowing there was nothing anyone could do to help him. Luckily for him, he has a gift that helps him get through the hard times.
Chapman is an incredibly talented singer-songwriter, who has dreams of becoming a country singer. He says he first watched Scotty McCreery win American Idol in 2011 and was amazed by how he has stayed true to his faith while pursuing a country music career, something that Chapman hopes to mimic.
After his surgery, he and his mom were driving through Garner, North Carolina, which happens to be McCreery’s hometown when she asked him,”Dustin, what can I do to make you feel better?”
Under some anesthesia, but also completely serious, he said, “Get me to sing with Scotty McCreery.”
Thanks to social media, word got out that this was Chapman’s goal and McCreery caught wind of it almost immediately. His management team spoke with Chapman’s mom, Sandi, to arrange a meeting for the summer.
The two young North Carolina natives met Tuesday (June 13), and Chapman’s dream came true. Together, they sang McCreery’s hit song “See You Tonight”, and Chapman was able to play an original song for him.
“Thanks, Scotty for making one of my biggest dreams come true,” Chapman wrote on Facebook. “It was also awesome meeting [girlfriend] Gabi, who was so sweet! You’re both amazing people and I can’t wait until we can meet again!”
Watch their duet below.