Reality | Celebrity

AGT Finale To Continue Despite Tragic Death

We first fell in love with 13-year-old Evie Clair when she performed on America's Got Talent this past spring.

It wasn't only her beautiful voice that captured America's heart, but the story of her family's struggle struck a cord with viewers across the country.

A year before the show aired, her father was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and was given a 5% chance to live. He continued to work and support his family in spite of his terminal diagnosis.

His daughter sang a moving rendition of Arms by Christina Perri, which brought the audience and judges to their feet.

She continued through Judge Cuts where she again won the hearts of Simon, Mel, Heidi and Howie.

See her beautiful performance of I Try by Macy Gray:

She went on to the Live Show, where she delivered a beautiful performance in spite of her father not being able to travel to watch it live.

Her father may have not been able to travel, but he was still watching from his hospital bed.

"Good luck baby," he said. "I'm sorry I missed it live."

And we're sure he wouldn't have missed this moment:

She went onto the Semi-Finals where she was able to connect with the audience, yet again.

Evie made it through to the Finals, with the Dunkin' Save which required viewers to vote on Wednesday night.

But in spite of her success on the AGT stage, before she was able to give her performance in the Finals, she was faced with the unthinkable off screen.

Evie's father, Armos Abplanalp, didn't let his terminal cancer diagnosis stop him from working as a prison counselor and a bishop at their church.

The father of 5 children, was given a 5% chance of survival, after her received his stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis.

On the Saturday, before her Semi-Final performance, Evie posted a photo of her father in his hospital bed, asking for prayers and support as he battled the disease.

"My amazing dad needs prayers and good thoughts tonight, so I'm asking all of you. Thank you friends," she wrote.

After the show on Tuesday, they were informed that Amos's organs were failing and he was being placed on life support. He wasn't believed to make it through the night. With his wife and daughter in a hotel waiting for the results show on Wednesday, they prayed he would live long enough for them to get home to see him.

Directly after the results show on Wednesday, Evie and her mother were flown home by America's Got Talent to be with their ailing loved one.

On Thursday, the day after Evie made it into the finals, Hillary Abplanalp and their family made the decision to take her husband off of life support.

"When our faithful children arrived we explained the situation and asked for their council in making this decision. They all agreed with tear filled eyes. We gave them each time alone with dad before turning off life-sustaining machines," Hillary wrote.

"We watched him take his last breaths as he continued to breathe for about 15 minutes on his own," Hillary wrote. "The children burst into tears but are now at home laughing at old home movies of Daddy and remembering our great love for the most wonderful man any of us have ever known."

This tragedy in their life has then turning to their faith for support.

"We find constant peace and joy in the knowledge that Jesus Christ paid the price of death so that it has no lasting victory. We will be with Amos again and we feel he can now be with us without the restrictions of his mortal body. Our faith in the Savior has grown today and our family has been strengthened forever," Hillary wrote.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Evie Clair and her family at this time.

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