As a thank you for all of their hard work against state wildfires, musical legend Neil Diamond came out of retirement to sing for hundreds of firefighters earlier this week.
Over the course of July, there have been firefighters traveling from all over the country to help contain the Colorado wildfires at Lake Christine and launch relief efforts for the community.
Diamond, who is a Colorado local, took notice of their efforts – and despite how the singer’s recent Parkinson’s diagnosis forced him to cancel his tour in January, he insisted on getting back on stage to give an impromptu performance for the firefighters and their families as a show of gratitude for all their hard work.
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“Now you have to save my house,” Diamond jokingly told to the crowd as he stepped up to the mic.
Before he launched into a rousing rendition of “Sweet Caroline”, the singer praised the firefighters by saying: “I want to take you all home. I want to give you a kiss. I want to make dinner for you. I just want to say thank you from the people of this area … I’ve been here for 20 years, and you made everybody happy.
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“The heaviness on our hearts is gone … We thank you for making the trip and to our local guys as well,” he added.
Since news of the performance was shared on social media, Diamond has made sure to reassure his fans, saying that new music and recordings are coming despite his retirement from the road.
Additionally, Colorado firefighters have announced that the wildfires are now mostly contained.
(WATCH the video of the crowd singalong below)
Don’t Be A Solitary Man: Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends – Photo by Lake Christine Fire