• Country music singer who has had several chart-toppers.
• Inspirational speaker who uses the story of him beating cancer to inspire audiences.
By Crystal Garcia
TERRE HAUTE — Country music singer and inspirational speaker Kevin Sharp said the one thing he wanted audience members to take away with them was a message of hope.
He wants them to realize “there’s always hope in their life. It’s probably the most valuable gift we’re given on this earth.”
Sharp, of California, told his story of beating Ewings Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. At one point, the doctors thought he had only months to live.
A few dozen people in the Hatfield Hall Theater at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology attended the show.
He also performed a few of his chart-topping songs such as “Nobody Knows” and “She’s Sure Taking It Well” Tuesday night.
During Sharp’s two year battle with cancer, he was able to meet producer/performer David Foster courtesy of the Make A Wish Foundation, which later helped him get started in the country music industry.
Although it was a tough time, Sharp said he learned many things that he wouldn’t have learned any other way during his fight.
“This life, I’ll tell ya there’s no other way to say it, but simply say it sucks sometimes, downright sucks,” Sharp told the audience, “but the good thing of that is I’ll tell ya, it’s worth it.”
Rose-Hulman freshman Elaine Houston, who had heard of Sharp prior to attending the show, said the music was her favorite part, but took the message “to go on and live every day” away with her.
The show was free to the public, but donations for the Make a Wish Foundation were accepted at the door.
Members of the Student Activities Board had been fundraising for the organization last week by organizing a coin war between the school’s various departments. Prior to counting Tuesday night’s donations, the group had already raised more than $2,200.
Along with the office of career services, the Student Activities Board was responsible for bringing Sharp to campus.
Kevin Hewerdine, Rose-Hulman director of career services and employee relations, said Sharp was a good person to perform on campus because he felt Sharp’s message would be good for the student body.
With some of the grade pressures and stress students face, “sometimes an added boost is needed,” Hewerdine said.
He hopes the message students take to heart is “overcoming adversity when things aren’t going as well as maybe you would hope … There’s an opportunity to know there’s always going to be a brighter day than today.”
Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812)231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.
