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The crowd recently went wild when U.S. soldiers took to the “America’s Got Talent” stage to belt out a rendition of The Temptations’ “My Girl.”
But the reason for the heroes’ presence on the competition show is what really elicited an emotional response.
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Members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus made a stunning entrance to the stage, marching in unison before letting their guard down and talking with the celebrity judges.
“We hail from North Carolina,” Staff Sgt. Marcus Gilbert explained. “We represent the 19,000 men and women that support and serve the Airborne division.”
He said the ensemble was on the show to “win,” and that the performance was specifically dedicated to a fellow soldier who recently died.
“We wanted to dedicate this performance,” Gilbert continued. “Last week, we lost one of our soldiers — Specialist Elijah Crawford. So, we’re dedicating this performance to him and all of the soldiers that have passed before him.”
The revelation visibly moved the audience. And as the 82nd Airborne Chorus All-American Chorus began to sing, the crowd went wild.
The performance, posted early to social media, will reportedly air in its entirety on Tuesday night’s “America’s Got Talent.”
Watch the powerful moment:
Gilbert told The Fayetteville Observer the audition happened this past spring, and he’s hoping fans of the show will enjoy it.
“It’s not the first time an Armed forces group has been on the show, but it is the first time the 82nd, which is known to deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours, has been on it,” Gilbert said.
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