When U.S. veteran Lyle Chauvin was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor, he knew that his life going forward would never be the same. He began to suffer memory loss, but there was one thing he had no problem remembering – his favorite restaurant.
Lyle, who lives in Louisiana, arranged for his family and himself to visit Little Big Cup, a cajun-style restaurant, for one of his last meals.
Sanjay Maharaj explained to Storyful that the father and husband’s family were shocked that he had remembered the restaurant. Of course, they were more than happy to honor his wishes and enjoy a meal at his location of choice.
On the day of his Sunday brunch, Lyle was greeted with a restaurant full of family, friends and staff. Accompanied by a recording of the song by Home Free and Peter Hollens, the group sang “Amazing Grace” – one of Lyle’s favorites.
A powerful, well-known hymn, “Amazing Grace” couldn’t be a more fitting song for the restaurant patrons to dedicate to Lyle. It sends the message that even in the darkest of times we can find grace and inspire others. It is about love, faith and peace.
The video is incredibly heart-wrenching to watch. Lyle is completely overwhelmed as those around him gather together to sing in his honor. He holds his head in his hands, fighting away tears.
Across the table, his wife reaches out her hand for support, and Lyle takes it.
It’s unlikely that everyone in the restaurant knows Lyle personally, but they are all willing to help give him the most special experience, making for a deeply moving performance.
Sharing the emotional video to Facebook, Mr Maharaj, Little Big Cup’s restaurant owner, wrote:
“I’m blown away:
Mr Chauvin is dying and he wanted one of his last meals at The Little Big Cup!
Our employees and guests joined his family celebrating his wonderful life!
Y’all in a time of all this uncertainty, isn’t this truly amazing? People coming together ❤️
What an amazing tribute to this Wonderful Man , Veteran, Husband & Father!
Kevin and I are simply honored that our little restaurant on the Bayou has become such a special place for so many,
Thank Y’all”
The post went viral, with more than 10k reactions and 2.5k comments. People shared their gratitude to the veteran and support for his family, with one person commenting:
“Such a blessing and honor SIR. To be part of this celebration for you! Thank you for your service and sacrifices you made for our freedom! You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers”
Someone else expressed just how touched they were by the video, writing:
“Oh gosh. God bless him. It was the hand grab that did it for me. The way she saw his emotional pain and she tapped him on his arm and he gave her his hand. I’ll call it a night after that. This video is about sacrifice and love and commitment. In many ways.”
This beautiful video is certainly an example of, as Mr Maharaj rightly says, people coming together at times of uncertainty. Lyle was clearly deeply touched by the actions of the staff, family and friends at the restaurant that morning.
To watch the emotional video of the “Amazing Grace” performance, click below.
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