There are few things that get people excited like a passionate performance of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Just ask anyone who watched Jackson Dean Nicholson, a senior at Arundel High School in Maryland, a few years ago.
We’re not talking about his performance on the football field, but his pre-game singing of the national anthem. He wowed the home crowd and thousands of people online.
According to reports, Nicholson realized no one else was ready to sing the national anthem before his school’s game. He could have let the school play a recording or let the crowd sing themselves.
But Nicholson did something different. Before the game started, he stood alone on the field with just an acoustic guitar and a microphone and sang the national anthem.
He quickly delivered one of the best versions of the U.S. national anthem we’ve ever heard. It’s no surprise that the video became a viral hit and has resurfaced in popularity time and time again.
The video was first uploaded in 2018, and the fact that it’s still impressive now shows just how well Nicholson can sing.
“It was very cool. I probably knew 90 percent of the people sitting in those stands, and they had no idea I was doing it until I brought my guitar out,” Nicholson told the Baltimore Sun at the time.
While he was playing as a senior defensive end during his five minutes of fame, music is Nicholson’s true passion. He has been writing and singing songs since he was a freshman and was working on his own album around the same time he went viral.
Since there’s already a famous actor named Jack Nicholson, he chose the stage name Jackson Dean.
Talking about his football career in 2018, Jackson said: “This is my last year, then I’m done. I’ve got until January, I’ll have all my credits done, and I only have to be enrolled for this semester. I got a waiver from my principal and she’s very supportive of what I do. I’m going to go for it.”
Good luck, Jackson!
We can’t get over how amazing Jackson’s performance was, and we want as many people as possible to see it.
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The Young Man Gets Married
A youthful groom embarked on the journey of matrimony.
His mother, advanced in years, resided under his roof. One evening, as they gathered for supper, his wife abruptly excused herself, retiring to their chamber. Observing her departure, the elder woman advised: “Son, tend to her well. Ensure she does not endure hunger. Look after your wife”.
Concerned for his beloved, he sought her out. “My dear, are you unwell? Why dine alone?” he inquired. She hesitated: “I cannot. The sight of your mother’s hands… it unsettles me”.
Wrinkled and weathered, those hands bore the weight of untold sacrifices. Yet, to his wife, they were a source of discomfort. “What would you propose?” he inquired. She suggested: “Perhaps a nursing home would be best”. Assuring her, he vowed: “Fear not, my love. Tomorrow, we shall resolve this. But first, we must honor our invitation to your parents’ abode. Upon our return, I shall arrange for my mother’s care”.
The following day, accompanied by his wife and mother, they visited her family. Noticeably absent from the table was his mother. Sensing his unease, his wife assured: “She dines alone, in another room”.
Perplexed, he inquired: “Did you instruct her to seclude herself?” She affirmed: “Indeed”.
As the meal commenced, the father-in-law broached the delicate topic. “Son-in-law, our daughter’s happiness is paramount. She deserves a home solely with you. Resolve this matter regarding your mother”, he urged.
Reassuring them, he pledged: “Rest assured, we shall address it today”.
Despite the spread before him, he abstained. “Why do you not partake?” queried the father-in-law. With conviction, he declared: “I cannot. Your hands… they taint my appetite. They mirror your hearts!” His wife was taken aback.
Rising from the table, he sought out his mother, kneeling beside her. Tears streaming, he kissed her hands, imploring: “Come, mother, let us depart”.
Perplexed, she questioned: “But, son, where are we bound?” Overwhelmed, he simply wept. Loading her into the car, he whispered: “To Paradise, mother… to Paradise! Lead me to Paradise, if you are content with me”.
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