He experienced a significant loss: Regardless of your opinions on Blake Shelton, he didn’t deserve this

Blake Shelton paid tribute to his late friend Joe Bonsall, who passed away recently. Joe was a longtime member of The Oak Ridge Boys, a celebrated country and gospel group, from 1973 until his death in 2024.

On Tuesday, Blake, 48, shared a heartfelt photo on his Instagram Stories of himself performing alongside The Oak Ridge Boys. While the exact details of the photo’s location and date are unclear, Blake expressed his sorrow over Joe’s passing, saying: “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my friend Joe Bonsall”.

He fondly recalled: “I have never seen Joe without a genuine smile on his face. He loved singing more than anyone I’ve ever met”. Blake extended his thoughts and prayers to Joe’s family and fellow bandmates, stating: “Today, we have all experienced the loss of someone truly important”.

In 2016, Blake and The Oak Ridge Boys collaborated on the song “Doing It to Country Songs”. Joe’s death was attributed to Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive condition affecting voluntary muscle control, which has no known cure. Fans became aware of Joe’s struggle with the illness in January 2024, four years after he announced his condition and retirement from the band.

Joe is survived by his daughters, Jennifer and Sabrina, from his marriage to Mary Ann, as well as two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The Bonsall family shared in a statement that Joe authored 11 books, with his memoir, I See Myself, scheduled for release in November. He cherished his time at the farm and was a devoted fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, but emphasized that his faith and family were his greatest priorities.

The Oak Ridge Boys, consisting of Joe, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen, and William Lee Golden, are famous for hits like “Elvira”, “Come On In” and “Bobbie Sue”. The band was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015 and has won five Grammy Awards. As the group embarks on a farewell tour that will last for about a few month, they reflect on their legacy, despite the original lineup no longer being intact. Joe’s love for music, reading, and writing, along with his skills on the banjo, will be fondly remembered by fans and loved ones alike.

For the first time, baby hears his mother’s voice

Back in 2017, a mom named Christy Keane shared what is believed to be one of the most heartwarming and most emotional videos we’ve ever seen, that of her baby girl hearing her voice for the first time ever.

As explained in the caption of the video which has been seen over 111 million times, baby Charly was born profoundly deaf and she had never heard a single sound. So, when she got her hearing aid and was able to learn what her mom’s voice sounds like, Charly started crying tears of joy. Her expression was enough for her parents to understand that she could now feel the world around her as a whole.

We are so glad that this precious moment was caught on tape.

It is so awesome that the advance of technology allows different aids to be produced and used by people with certain impairments and disabilities and to facilitate their lives to the extent they are able to function independently and be valuable members of the society.