SAN DIEGO — When a child is sick in the hospital, a few moments of joy can make their day.
In this Zevely Zone, I met Rady Children's biggest rock star.
Doctors and nurses are the first line of defense at a hospital when it comes to saving a child's life, but I have learned to never underestimate a music man.
Karl Anthony is a music therapist at the hospital celebrating twenty years of smiles.
"When they hired me 20 years ago, I thought I'd do it for a year, maybe two, and two years came by and I went maybe I'll go five. Now it's been twenty and I think they are going to have to kick me out of here," said Karl who is part of the Healing Arts program at Rady Children's.
"Here we go," said Karl as he transformed a somber lobby into hope and happiness. Everyone in the waiting room started clapping to the music.
"Yeah, I love music," said Edgar Dominguez.
He had a family member undergoing surgery and a song was just what he needed. "The music comes inside of us and just works inside out," said Edgar.
"Well, hello there, going out for a walk?" said Karl to a young patient and his parents.
Karl is a paid musical therapist, who roams these halls to share the stage. This is why he asked one father to sing to his two-year-old son who just broke his leg.
"It just made our day you know? It gave us a smile you know? He smiled right away you know and it was beautiful to have this moment, you know?" said Anthony Foster.
Up on the fourth floor, Karl made a new friend.
"Breathe out, breathe in," sang Karl while playing his guitar. "Feel the breath going through your skin."
17-year-old Migdalia Fabian is battling leukemia and having a tough day until Karl asks her to sing. "Breathe out, breathe out, breathe in, breathe in," they sang together.
Karl searches the hospital for the sick and injured and provides the best part of Destiny Garibaldi's hospital stay. "I loved it. I Iove the music," said Destiny.
I asked Karl for his exact job title. He paused and said, "Mood operator."
This brings us back to Migdalia who had this to say after meeting Karl Anthony who is without question a specialist of the heart. "Anyone that goes through having a cancer of any type, can overcome it and still live their life," said Migdalia.
Karl then sang his song, "Angel, angel, you are an angel, I see an angel in your eyes. Bravo!"
The song 'Angel' is one of Karl's originals, he's played it thousands of times for patients in need. For more information about Rady Children's Healing Arts program, click here.