Oxford school shooting survivor's tear-jerking tribute to lost friends on ‘AGT' will touch your hearts
'America's Got Talent' is a platform that often showcases courageous examples of the human spirit. In 2022, 18-year-old Ava Swiss, an Oxford High School shooting survivor, auditioned for season 17 of the reality show. "Back on November 30, my brother and I were a part of the Oxford school shooting," Swiss revealed to the judges and the audience before her heart-touching act. "We've lost four of our students and seven others were injured, one of which was a teacher." Simon Cowell sympathized with the teen and asked how she had been coping since the tragedy.
Due to the trauma, Swiss and her brother were initially reluctant to go back to school, she explained. "But we've actually been in person in the school for about two months now, so things are getting better." The teen then performed 'Remember,’ an emotional number by Lauren Daigle. She ended up receiving a standing ovation and the approval of all four judges to move on to the next round. "In life, it's tough to show up, especially after going through incredible trauma," Howie Mandel remarked. "The fact that you can break through that, and shine the way you did today, is so inspirational for every human being."
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Heidi Klum called the act "incredible." Sofia Vergara gushed that the flawless performance gave her goosebumps and also "took her breath away." Cowell lauded the teen, saying, "I think you are gutsy," adding, "For me, this is one of those auditions I'll never forget. I really have so much respect for you, and on top of that, you've got a great voice. You're really somebody who I'm so happy to have met." Speaking to People at the time, Swiss confessed that it felt "surreal" to be living her childhood dream of singing on stage.
Additionally, she revealed that she wanted to represent her resilient community through her audition. "We're not just a town with a tragedy. I wanted to show them what our community is really like, and most importantly, how a community can come together and how they have proved that things do get better with hope, love and support," she said. The teen also confessed that she dedicated the audition to her crush, Justin Shilling, who tragically lost his life during the mass shooting. "Freshman year, we had a huge crush on each other all year," she recalled. "He was just one of those people where, even if we kind of faded over time, he would always come back around and he'd be the type to come back and say, 'Hey, congratulations. I'm so proud of you. This is amazing.' He'd be the one to reach out no matter how much time has gone by."
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Swiss advanced through the live rounds and earned a spot in the semi-finals. However, she was unexpectedly eliminated right before the finale. As per M Live, Cowell was particularly disappointed over the outcome after the teen's stunning rendition of 'Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken' by P!nk. “We are losing people, and I’m really happy for you,” he told comedian Don McMillan, who won the round. “I’m also upset at the moment,” he added, referring to Swiss. However, the loss didn’t put a pause to her music career; the young artist has been spending time creating music and doing live gigs.