Rory Feek attended the 2016 Country Music Association Awards last night, and took to Facebook earlier today to share his favorite CMA moment.
The moment didn’t take place at the Bridgestone Arena, where he was surrounded by the greatest country music singers of all time . Rather, the moment took place at his sister’s house, and involved his young daughter. Indiana.
“…my favorite CMA moment last night didn’t happen at the award show,” Rory captioned a photo of his two-year-old daughter, who has down syndrome and doesn’t talk, signing the word “papa” as she watched her father on the television. “It happened back home at my sister Marcy’s house where everyone had gathered to watch and root Joey and I on. When Indy saw me on the TV, she turned around and signed ‘Papa’… What a precious, precious gift God has given us.”
Rory and his late wife, Joey Feek, were nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year. As the Inquisitr previously reported, Joey Feek died in March after a long, hard fought battle with cancer. She was diagnosed with the disease not long after Indiana was born, and underwent chemotherapy and radiation, along with a radical hysterectomy, in hopes of beating it. Sadly, she later learned that the cancer had spread and decided to enter hospice care to live out the rest of her life surrounded by her family and friends. Because Joey wasn’t able to attend the CMAs with him, Rory decided to bring along her parents as his guests.
“Well, it’s always been an honor to be nominated for awards like this but tonight especially we’re honored because I have a feeling that tonight isn’t just about the music,” Rory told Fox News from the red carpet. “I’m glad to be with my mother-in-law, father-in-law and my wife’s three sisters are all here with us so we’re here representing Joey and just having a night with lots of smiles.”
Rory Feek Brings In-Laws to CMA Awards https://t.co/OlwxCbXMBn
— Clifford Owen (@fatmuscle1) November 3, 2016
Since Joey’s tragic death, Rory has been focused on raising his daughter, and continuing to share Joey’s story on his blog This Life I Live . He is determined to keep her memory alive, and wants the world to know how lucky he was to have found someone like Joey to love and love him back.
“I’m actually the least likely person that you would have ever thought would be part of such a beautiful love story…because I made a lot of mistakes through my life and it shows how God led me to my bride and ultimately to Him and I got a chance to live a better story and be part of an amazing one and I’ve never been able to tell that,” Feek said.
Rory Feek Just Went Against One Of His Wife’s Wishes, And Here’s Why: https://t.co/zZq3R3c3eo
— joy simson (@joytweets22) October 27, 2016
“It’s been amazing to be going through all that we went through and to have that many people praying for my wife, and caring for us, it’s been really special,” he added about his fans and fellow country music singers who continue to pray for him daily. “You guys have continued to take my story and share it, and that means a lot because it helps people see it and that’s nice and I want to be an encouragement. And we’re all gonna face it, either ourselves or the people we love, it’s kinda important.”
Although Joey and Rory lost the award to the Brothers Osbourne , Rory said he was honored to have been nominated during country music’s biggest night of the year, and revealed who Joey would have thanked first had she been here and had they won the award.
“God,” he told Taste of Country . “No doubt. Wouldn’t even hesitate.”
[Featured Image by Rick Diamond/Getty Images]