Walker Hayes Connects With Young Fan Over His Late Daughter

Walker Hayes recently brightened a young fan’s day through a personal encounter, though the singer confessed that he benefited just as much from the touching moment.

It began when Marty, a young boy who uses a wheelchair, met Hayes and inquired about the singer’s footprint tattoo. Hayes explained that the tattoo is in remembrance of his daughter Oakleigh, who passed away during childbirth in June 2018.

“I told him that Oakleigh was in heaven. He said he knew someone there too. His dad,” Hayes shared in the caption of a video documenting the moment. “He lost his dad to cancer when he was five.”

The encounter became even more memorable when Hayes and Marty enjoyed an impromptu jam session, singing the chorus of Hayes’ hit single “AA” together. Marty confidently took over the final line of the chorus solo.

Reflecting on the experience, Hayes couldn’t help but marvel at the special bond formed between two people who have each experienced loss.

“Just how amazing would it be if his dad, my dad, Oakleigh and Jesus were all together there … watching us have this conversation!!!!!… Maybe they were,” he wrote.

“The Lord gave me a massive hug through this remarkable young man’s honesty and courage,” the singer continued. “Marty, your version of AA is way, way, way … better than mine. Thank you for blessing us tonight.”

Walker Hayes and his wife Laney are parents to seven children, including Oakleigh. Their children are Lela, Chapel, Baylor, Beckett, Loxley, and Everly. Often, the family tours with Hayes, and his kids frequently join him on stage to perform. Hayes has even penned several songs inspired by his children, such as “Chapel,” “Taylor Swift,” and “Lela’s Stars.”

Lela, the oldest child, notably helped create the “Fancy Like” TikTok dance, which was pivotal in Hayes’ rise to superstardom in 2021. Each June, the family commemorates Oakleigh’s birthday. Last year, they shared a family photo taken at her gravestone, which is inscribed with a poignant C.S. Lewis quote: “I was made for another world.”

Source: Taste of Country, Walker Hayes’ Social Media