After days of celebrities being mocked for singing John Lennon’s “Imagine”, two surgeons from the Mayo Clinic recently performed the tune, and it became an instant hit.
What We Know:
- Elvis L. Francois and William Robinson are chief residents in the orthopedic department of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and are now internet sensations as well. Francois and Robinson uploaded the now viral video, performing the 1971 classic.
- Francois sang as Robinson played the piano. “In life, there are so many things that divide us. Religion, race, politics, social status and many more… But today a global pandemic brings us all together as one,” Francois wrote in the original Instagram caption that was reposted by journalist Katie Couric.
- The two doctors, both fifth-year residents who will finish their program in the next three months, were interviewed by ABC News. Both were pleased that the message of the song resonated during this uncertain time of coronavirus.
- They were both grateful that they could provide care outside of the traditional sense. “Music goes places that medicine can’t go,” Francois said. “You can perform the perfect surgery but that next day, when a patient’s going through rehabilitation or they’re faced with a difficult diagnosis, music is something that speaks to the spirit…”
Robinson is working from home with “limited clinic obligations” and Francois is still pulling in 28-hour shifts at the hospital. “It’s such a small thing. If something this small can provide people comfort or hope in any capacity – it’s such a humbling experience for both of us,” he said.
