Only the beginning for Gokey

On Wednesday night, Milwaukee’s own Danny Gokey got voted off American Idol.

I have to admit, I didn’t see it coming. I thought for sure Danny and Adam Lambert were in the top two. It’s not that I don’t like Kris Allen, but I felt Danny was the stronger of the two. But, when you give America the reigns, anything can happen.

When it was announced that Adam was the other half of the top two, I was stunned. I stood behind my camera lens hurriedly snapping the crowd’s reaction at Faith Builders church in Beloit. They looked as shocked as I did. Some of them cried. I made my way back to my seat to watch Danny’s farewell video, and I can admit that I cried a bit, too. It was heartbreaking to know he was leaving the show.

But as quickly as the disappointment had begun, it dissipated. The crowd chanted “Gokey, Gokey, Gokey,” and everyone broke into loud cheers. While on TV, Danny never once looked upset. He took it all in stride. In fact, in subsequent interviews he’s said he knew it was him going home. He was OK with that. I think he’s ready for the next phase in his life. There’s a whole big world waiting for him.

After the results show Wednesday night, Faith Builders’ members all had a positive attitude about the situation. Rather than getting angry about what happened, they rejoiced in how much had already happened to Danny since he began this journey. His life has changed. This is only the beginning of an incredible career for him. Danny has already said he wants to use his music to inspire people. He wants to do more with his foundation, Sophia’s Heart Foundation, which he began in honor of his late wife, Sophia. For him, competing on American Idol was ever about the fame or money but rather the opportunity to make a difference.

I’ve been a fan of Danny Gokey since I first heard his audition on American Idol. I never imagined I’d become so involved with his journey on the show. He doesn’t know it, but he in many ways has changed MY life. Because of him, I’ve gotten connected to a wonderful group at Faith Builders. In the time I spent doing stories on Danny, I was fortunate enough to really get to know the people at the church. From the moment I first walked in the door I felt welcome and accepted. These are people I now consider friends.

If it hadn’t been for Danny’s time on Idol, I’m not sure I ever would have met these people. It’s amazing where life can take you. This is just another reason I’m so proud to call Beloit home.

So, fellow Idol fans – did you agree with last week’s results? It’s down to Kris Allen and Adam Lambert in the final two. Who will you be voting for next week? I think I’ll be throwing my support to Kris Allen – I like the underdogs!

This entry was posted on Friday, May 15th, 2009 at 5:15 pm and is filed under My Kind of Town. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.