A 19 year old named Cristian walked in front of the judges and said he saw Ed Sheeran playing a show and wanted to be like him. Simon Cowell replied, “but you know with him it’s all about the songs?” Cristian replied, “I write songs myself” prompting Simon to ask, “Can we hear one of your songs?”. Slightly hesitantly, Cristian replies, “you can, yeah” and slowly added, “I’ve got a song that I wrote for my brother who passed away when I was only young”. Simon asked if he was sure he wanted to perform it and Cristian said, “I think I’m ready to.” He then showcased some of the most beautifully written lyrics heard in an audition leaving all the judges with a lump in their throat. Cristian’s heartfelt audition went on to receive over 14 million views as his authentic songwriting captured the hearts of millions. Watch video in comments below.
Talent shows are full of surprises and that is one of the reasons we get so addicted to them. We never know if that shy girl who’s trembling on the stage would be the next star, or if the boy who can’t wait to let his voice loose would get a pass for the next round. What we do know, however, is that some of the performances are so powerful they stay with us long after we see them.
When Christian Burrows took the stage of one of the most popular music talent shows, The X Factor, not many believed he would make many cry.
When Simon asked him what he prepared for them, Christian said he’d penned a song about the loss of his baby brother Nathan who passed away at just three months old.
“I’ve got a song that I wrote for my brother who passed away when I was only young,” he told Simon, who asked him if he was certain he wanted to perform such a personal and emotional song. Christian said he believed he was ready, but no one was prepared for what followed.
The lyrics of Thunder Buddy, which Christian performed in front of the entire nation, touched everyone’s heart.
Before his son saw the light of the day, Christian only performed it twice in his life; once for his mom and once for his dad.
He left the stage with four yeses and proud of his performance that left some of the judges in tears.
Following his appearance on the show, Christian spoke to Metro Online and shared the heartbreak his family suffered when his brother passed away. At the time, Christian was 2 and a half years old and although he doesn’t remember anything specifically, he said he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of relationship he and his late brother would have now.
You can see this young man’s performance in the video below.
My Son’s Teacher Called Me and Said, ‘I’m Sorry, but I Have to Tell You the Truth About Your Son and Your Husband’
I always thought the worst kind of betrayal came from strangers. I was wrong. It comes from the people you trust the most—the ones you’d never suspect. And in my case, it started with a phone call that changed everything.
I will never forget the day my world cracked open.
If you looked at us from the outside, you’d think we were a normal, happy family. I’m 38, a working mom who balances deadlines and dinner prep, school meetings, and Saturday movie nights.
A woman cooking for her family | Source: Pexels
My husband, Daniel, is 42—a dependable man, or so I thought. We’ve been together for 17 years, built a life, a home, and raised our only child, Dylan, who just turned 15.
Dylan has always been a quiet kid, more into books and video games than sports. He takes after me in that way—reserved, a little awkward, but with a heart of gold. Lately, though, something has been… off.
He’s been distant and withdrawn. He doesn’t laugh at our inside jokes anymore, and whenever I ask him how school was, all I get is a vague “fine” before he disappears into his room.
A sad teenage boy | Source: Pexels
At first, I thought it was just teenage mood swings. But then Daniel started acting strangely too. He’s been coming home later than usual, making excuses about work, his phone always buzzing with messages he quickly hides.
I tried convincing myself it was nothing—I mean, we’ve been married for almost two decades. But the tension in our house was thick, unspoken like we were all keeping secrets from each other.
Then, the phone call came.
Woman receiving a phone call | Source: Pexels
It was Dylan’s teacher, Mrs. Callahan. Her voice trembled through the receiver.
“I’m sorry, but I have to tell you the truth about your son and your husband.”
My stomach dropped. What truth?
My hands trembled as I held the phone to my ear. Mrs. Callahan’s voice was low, hesitant like she was afraid to speak.
“I—I need to see you in person,” she stammered. “There’s something I can’t keep from you anymore.”
My pulse quickened. “Is Dylan okay?”
A long pause.
Woman receiving a phone call | Source: Pexels
“Please, just meet me at the school,” she said, her voice almost pleading. “I’ll explain everything then.”
The call ended, but my mind raced. What could she possibly know? What did she mean by the truth? My gut twisted with unease, but I grabbed my keys and headed out.
When I arrived at the school, Mrs. Callahan was already waiting in her classroom, hands clenched together. She looked anxious, her usual warm demeanor replaced with something heavy—guilt, maybe?
“Mrs. Callahan, what’s going on?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
A class teacher discussing a student’s behavior with a concerned parent | Source: Midjourney
She took a deep breath, her eyes darting toward the closed door as if making sure no one else could hear.
“A few days ago, I was walking past one of Dylan’s classmates’ houses,” she started, choosing her words carefully. “Kelly’s house, to be exact.”
My brow furrowed. “Kelly? Dylan’s friend?”
She nodded. “Yes. I saw Dylan and Kelly standing outside, near the driveway. I went up to say hello, but… something was off. They looked—nervous, on edge. Like they didn’t want me there.”
Two nervous teenagers | Source: Midjourney
I frowned. Dylan had been acting strange lately, but this? What was he hiding?
“And then I saw it.” Mrs. Callahan’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Your husband’s car. It was parked right in front of Kelly’s house.”
My stomach flipped. “Daniel’s car?”
“Yes. And when I looked through the window…” She hesitated as if deciding whether to continue. “I saw him. Your husband. He was inside, hugging Kelly’s mother.”
Couple hugging | Source: Pexels
The words hit me like a slap. I felt the air leave my lungs.
I shook my head, trying to process it. “You mean… like a friendly hug?”
Mrs. Callahan’s expression told me everything.
“No,” she said softly. “It wasn’t friendly. It was… intimate.”
The room tilted. My vision blurred.
Dylan knew. That’s why he was acting strange. He had seen it too.
People hugging | Source: Pexels
I sat there, frozen, my mind struggling to grasp what Mrs. Callahan had just told me.
“No,” I whispered, more to myself than to her. “That’s not possible.”
But deep down, I knew.
The late nights, the secrecy, the tension in our house—it all made sense now. Daniel wasn’t just distant; he was cheating. And the worst part? Dylan knew. My son had been carrying this secret, and I had been too blind to see it.
Concerned mother speaking with her son’s teacher | Source: Midjourney
I drove home in a daze, my knuckles white against the steering wheel. When I walked into the house, Daniel was on the couch, scrolling through his phone like nothing had changed.
“We need to talk,” I said, my voice shaking.
He looked up, uninterested. “Can it wait?”
“No.”
I told him everything—what Mrs. Callahan saw, what I knew. For a second, just a brief second, I saw something flicker in his eyes. But then, just as quickly, he smirked.
A man with a playful grin, relaxing on the couch | Source: Midjourney
“So what?” he said, shrugging. “It was bound to come out eventually.”
I wanted to scream, to throw something, to make him feel the pain he had just so casually inflicted on me. But I didn’t. I simply turned, walked upstairs, and started packing.
The divorce papers were filed within days. I thought Dylan would understand, that he’d be on my side. But when I told him, his face darkened.
“You’re overreacting,” he snapped. “Dad loves her. Just like I love Kelly.”
Woman talking to her teenage son | Source: Midjourney
My breath caught. What?
“Dylan…” I whispered, my stomach twisting.
“Yeah, Mom.” His eyes were cold. “We’re together. You want to tear this family apart because you can’t handle the truth? Fine. But I’m not leaving Dad.”
And just like that, my son—my baby—walked out the door and chose his father.
The house was empty. Too quiet. Too hollow.
A sad woman holding back tears | Source: Midjourney
For weeks, I drifted, barely functioning. The betrayal cut so deep that even breathing felt like a chore. I had lost my husband and my son in one blow.
Then one evening, as I left the grocery store, I heard a voice behind me.
“Hey, need a hand?”
I turned to see Mark—a single father to one of Dylan’s classmates. We had spoken a few times at school events, but I never thought much of him. Now, he was smiling at me, a gentle warmth in his eyes.
I forced a polite smile. “I’m fine, thanks.”
A man and a woman chatting outside a grocery store | Source: Midjourney
But Mark didn’t give up. Every now and then, he’d find an excuse to talk to me, invite me for coffee, check-in. At first, I ignored it—I wasn’t ready. But slowly, something in me softened.
If you had told me two years ago that my life would turn out like this, I would have laughed in your face. Back then, I was drowning in betrayal, abandoned by the two people I loved the most. I thought I’d never recover. But life has a way of surprising you.
Mark was patient. He never pushed, never demanded. He was just there—steady, kind, everything Daniel never was. What started as casual coffee meetups turned into long evening walks, shared laughter, and eventually, something I thought I’d never feel again: love.
A loving couple sharing a warm hug | Source: Pexels
Now, I’m married to him. And in a few months, we’ll be welcoming our baby into the world.
But Daniel? His perfect little fantasy didn’t last long.
Turns out, Kelly’s mother—oh, sweet, manipulative Julia—wasn’t in love with him. She was in love with his bank account. She drained him dry, took everything she could, and then vanished. The man who once smirked at my pain was now broke, bitter, and alone. Poetic justice.
And Dylan?
My son showed up at my door six months ago, eyes hollow, shoulders slumped.
A boy standing at the front door as his mother opens | Source: Midjourney
“Mom… I was wrong.”
He didn’t need to say more. I pulled him into my arms, holding him tight, feeling the weight of all the lost time between us. I wanted to be angry, to make him earn my forgiveness, but he was my son. And I had missed him more than words could express.
He moved back in with me and Mark, slowly mending what had been shattered. Some wounds take time, but we’re healing, together.
A teenage boy in deep thought | Source: Midjourney
And as I sit here now, rubbing my growing belly and watching Dylan set the dinner table with Mark, I can’t help but chuckle at the insanity of it all.
“What’s so funny?” Mark asked, wrapping his arms around me.
I shake my head, smiling. “This whole mess. It’s such a complicated story that happened within one school class.”
A happy expectant woman sitting on a porch with a man | Source: Midjourney
Leave a Reply