facebook-pixel

A Utah man’s family and caregivers make sure he gets to hear the piano one last time

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Lucia Silva, daughter Flavia Beare, granddaugher Petra Beare, and family friend Cristina Tesolin weep as they tend to their husband and father, Osvaldo Silva. On Friday, Intermountain Hospital caregivers wheeled paralyzed cancer patient Osvaldo Silva, 85, down to the lobby for a personal piano concert in his honor, Feb. 15, 2019. With tears streaming down his face, Osvaldo, who is from Brazil, was treated to a dozen songs played by his Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bishop, Bispo Do Pai Valdir, who kicked off the set with none other than ÒThe Girl from Ipanema.Ó

Two months before he was hospitalized, Osvaldo Silva told his wife he wanted to learn to play piano. He always loved hearing it, especially the songs of Frank Sinatra and Osaldo’s fellow Brazilian countryman, Antônio Carlos Jobim and his iconic Brazilian anthem, “The Girl from Ipanema.”

In January, 85-year-old Osvaldo, who was weak from battling cancer that had spread throughout his body, tumbled down a flight of stairs and was paralyzed. Since then, Osvaldo’s wife Lucia Silva and daughter Flavia Beare have remained next to his hospital bed at Intermountain Medical Center, comforting him as best they can.

“We’re just focused on the positive,” said Beare, “and we want to honor him.”

On Friday, Flavia made sure Osvaldo got a chance to hear the piano live one more time. Hospital caregivers wheeled him down to the lobby for a piano concert.

With tears streaming down his face, Osvaldo was treated to a dozen songs played by his Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bishop, Bispo Do Pai Valdir, who kicked off the set with none other than “The Girl from Ipanema.”

Donations to fund Osvaldo Silva’s care can be made to https://www.gofundme.com/f/osvaldo-our-friend.