Dad Makes Music Inspired By Daughter’s Health Journey To Help Others Get Thru Hard Times

A father from Minneapolis, Minnesota is making music that is inspired by his six-year-old daughter’s medical struggles, to not only express his feelings, but to also give other families encouragement to get through tough times.

Alyssa, who has Down syndrome, was born with a serious heart defect and had to undergo two open-heart surgeries to repair three holes in her heart.

This arduous time was when her father, Jesse Norell, turned to music for the first time in over a decade.

Music helped Norell tell their story in the way it needed to be told.

Titled “Aorta Borealis,” the album reflects on his daughter’s heart struggles, and makes a reference to the Northern Lights.

“You can’t see the Northern Lights unless you have the backdrop of darkness. Then when it’s dark, you can see this beautiful thing that you never would have even had the chance to see otherwise,” he told CBS Minnesota. “This for me is about finding light and joy in both the dead of night and the sunrise.”

Norell has always used music to express himself, but it is even more special now that his daughter can share it with him.

In order to raise enough money to record the album, he launched a campaign on Kickstarter, celebrating children with Down syndrome.

The album has been released on all music streaming services, and will also be part of a live concert at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis on April 8.

Hear more of Norell’s inspiring story in the video below:

Provide Mammograms

Support those fighting Breast Cancer at The Breast Cancer Site for free! →