Girl's Tribute to Dying Mom Goes Weepy Viral

(Newser) – A London teen's pitch-perfect, emotionally wrenching singing tribute to her dying mom has gone viral on YouTube, opening the floodgates for thousands of sobbing fans. Sarah Phillips, 16, recorded the song Autumn by Scottish singer Paulo Nutini into her cell phone just hours before her... More »

(Newser) – A London teen's pitch-perfect, emotionally wrenching singing tribute to her dying mom has gone viral on YouTube, opening the floodgates for thousands of sobbing fans. Sarah Phillips, 16, recorded the song Autumn by Scottish singer Paulo Nutini into her cell phone just hours before her mom's death from cervical cancer at the age of 48. A friend later put music to it and Sarah found photos and film clips to make a video. A handsome Debbie Phillips is seen smiling, hugging her daughter and husband, balding from chemotherapy and traveling on family holidays.

"Now it's quiet and I can't hear you sing, 'My little fish, don't cry. My little fish, don't cry," Sarah sings. She told the Telegraph she decided to record the song before her mom died because she would have been too upset to sing it at her mom's funeral. "I had this song in mind as something really appropriate because there's a line that says: 'You still live on in my father's eyes,'" said Sarah. Her mom "was upset by what she would miss – weddings, having grandchildren," Sarah explained. "She would have been an amazing grandmother."
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