This is the moment a terminally ill singer was given a rousing send off by his beloved male voice choir who gathered outside his window to sing with him one last time.
Peter Kennedy had been a proud member of the male voice choir for over 20 years but was forced to give it up after being diagnosed with kidney cancer on his birthday last October.
The 65-year-old tenor, who used to work as an engineer for British Steel, had a kidney removed after the diagnosis but the cancer spread into his stomach and his liver.
Father-of two Peter was recently told by doctors he has around four weeks to live and thought he wouldn’t get a chance to sing with the choir again.
But daughter Sarah Martin, 38, was contacted last week by members of the New Mill male voice choir who were determined to visit their friend at his home in Shepley, West Yorks.
Sarah said: “We told them that it wouldn’t be possible at first because he was so poorly.
“But they were so determined to see him one last time.
“One of his close friends in the choir said that they were coming even if they had to stand in the garden, and that’s where the idea started to take shape.
“The choir organised as many people as they could, and we made sure that dad knew about it and got him ready in the morning.
“It was so emotional for everyone. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. He never thought that he’d have a chance to sing with them again.
“But there he was, bless him, tapping away with his foot and singing along.”
As well as Sarah, Peter was joined by his wife Denise, 64, and daughter Helen Lear, 30, to watch 34 choir members sang songs including Morte Criste, The Rose and Hail Smiling Morn.
Unfortunately his three grandchildren, Eva and Jacob, aged four, Harry, aged 16, missed the performance as they were in school.
Peter moved to Shipley in 1973, and was a member of the New Mill male voice choir for over 20 years.
While in the choir, Peter traveled as far as Italy to perform with his friends, and even performed on stage at the Royal Albert Hall.
Sarah said that the family were delighted that they got to see their father enjoying himself with the choir he loved so muchone last time, but they didn’t realise the toll it would take.
Shortly after the performance, Peter was struggling with chest pains and was rushed to hospital where doctors found a blood clot in his lungs.
Sarah said: “We couldn’t believe it. He was sitting there singing along weakly but all along he had a blood clot.
“He really is the most amazing man.
“It’s his birthday on October 27, and that will be exactly a year since he was diagnosed, so we’re really hoping he’ll make it.”
The grandfather-of-two has now been taken to a nearby hospice, but Sarah said after a tough day he is now able to sit up in bed and drink some soup.
