Like any good mother, when Karen found out that
another baby was on the way, she did what she
could to help her 3-year-old son Michael,
prepare for a new sibling. They found out that the
new baby was going to be a girl, and day after day,
night after night, Michael sang to his sister in
Mommy's tummy. He was building a bond of love
with his little sister before he even met her.




The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen. In
time, the labour pains came. Soon it was every five
minutes, every three, every minute. But serious
complications arose during delivery and Karen
found herself in hours of labour. 


Would a C-section be required? Finally, after a
long struggle, Michael's little sister was born.
But she was in a very serious condition. With a siren
howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the 
infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St.
Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.


The days inched by The little girl got worse. The 
pediatrician had to tell the parents there is very
little hope. Be prepared for the worst. 


Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery
about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special
room in their house for their new baby but now
they found themselves having to plan for a funeral. 


Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let
him see his sister. I want to sing to her, he kept saying. 


Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral 
would come before the week was over. Michael
kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids
are never allowed in Intensive Care. 


Karen decided to take Michael whether they liked
it or not. If he didn't see his sister right then, 
he may never see her alive.


She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and 
marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking 
laundry basket. The head nurse recognized him as
a child and bellowed, "Get that kid out of here now.
No children are allowed". The mother rose up 
strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered
lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse's
face, her lips a firm line. "He is not leaving until
he sings to his sister" she stated. Then Karen
towed Michael to his sister's bedside.


He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live.
After a moment, he began to sing. In the pure -
hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang:
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me
happy when skies are gray."


Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. The
pulse rate began to calm down and become
steady. "Keep on singing, Michael," encouraged
Karen with tears in her eyes. "You never know, 
dear, how much I love you, please don't take my
sunshine away."


As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's
ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a 
kitten's purr. "Keep on singing, sweetheart." "The
other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held
you in my arms". Michael's little sister began to
relax as rest, healing rest seemed to sweep over
her. "Keep on singing, Michael." 


Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy
head nurse Karen glowed. "You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine Please don't take my sunshine away..." 


The next, day...the very next day...the little girl
was well enough to go home.


Woman's Day Magazine called it The Miracle of a 
Brother's Song. The medical staff just called it a
miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God's love.

Wav.  playing:  "You are my sunshine"