The Boston Bruins haven’t played a game at home in roughly two-and-a-half months, leaving national anthem singer Todd Angilly without his night gig.
But Angilly has found a way to use his voice for good while the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the United States.
Back in early May, Angilly began singing the Star-Spangled Banner for crowds of healthcare workers and essential employees across Massachusetts as thanks for the work they do to battle the coronavirus in one of the biggest hotspots in the United States. A video of Angilly singing to the essential workers on the back of a flatbed outside Lahey Hospital in Burlington, mic’d up and all, went viral shortly after.
#HeyThanks to @todd_angilly who usually sings The Star-Spangled Banner for the @NHLBruins. Yesterday, he sang the song to inspire and thank frontline workers at @LaheyHospital. 💙 You can find more heartwarming and touching stories like this at https://t.co/1ehjQskVxx #boston25 pic.twitter.com/B7eEZp979V
— Boston 25 News (@boston25) May 5, 2020
But Angilly still remains humble about the experience. During a virtual town hall for Bruins season ticket holders Wednesday, Angilly revealed how a small suggestion quickly went viral.
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“Just being able to have that opportunity to go out and say thanks in my own way, to offer everybody a moment to just step outside, literally, especially when we were at Lahey — they all came out of the hospital,” Angilly said, as transcribed by WEEI.com’s Scott McLaughlin. “It just kind of started as, I wouldn’t say a joke, but I have a friend whose wife is a nurse and we were just talking about how much she’s working, and they have three kids, and juggling who’s going to be home and stuff. And I made kind of an off-hand comment that I was going to go to the hospital and stand outside and sing the national anthem.
“Next thing you know the hospital director was calling me, thought it was a great idea, and all that stuff. It kind of just blew up and next thing you know we had tons of first responders, police, fire, all different types of people, and we did that parade, and being able to sing to them outside the hospital and see them come out. I sent out a message to the hospital staff through MGH, the other day I was asked to say hi. It’s something, I wouldn’t say something simple, but taking a few minutes to say thank you and then to hear the response, it’s meant a lot. Whatever I can do to help, you know, they’re getting the job done.”
Awesome stuff.
Angilly doesn’t know when he’ll get to sing in front of a crowd at TD Garden again, especially with teams completing the 2019-20 season in two “hub cities,” which will be located somewhere outside New England. But at least he’s found a way to use his voice for good during these trying times.
