Though she’d spent 80 percent of her life in bed, Tania had managed to attend four Oak Ridge Boys concerts during her lifetime. These brief excursions were tremendously positive experiences for her and helped her cope with the day-to-day challenges of her developmental disability. When she entered hospice care for terminal colon cancer in 2018, the Southern California Hospice Foundation was honored to grant Tania’s final wish: to meet her favorite Country Music Hall of Fame (2015) and Grammy award-winning band.
The Oak Ridge Boys’ kindness and compassion was evident in their gifts to Tania. The band sent Tania a special video message sharing words of support and encouragement, and a gift bag full of goodies including the band’s book and a T-shirt. The experience was the highlight of her life, lifting her spirits and helping her escape, momentarily, the confines of a nursing facility.
Tania passed soon after and was buried wearing the special shirt given to her by the Oak Ridge Boys. Special thanks to the band for their extraordinary gifts and message that helped ease Tania’s final days.
For more information on how the Oak Ridge Boys made Tania’s wish come true, read our feature article in the 2018 SCHF annual report.
