Mallory’s Music Champion Donny Osmond

Mallory Reynolds loves music! As a baby, we would let her listen to music on the iPod, and she would rock back and forth. As she grew, she seemed to prefer Donny Osmond’s music more and more. She likes the “adult” Donny music over the kid’s music. When Mallory was 5, all she wanted to do was meet Donny Osmond.

In 2011, I called and asked Donny if he would meet her; he didn’t even bat an eye, and we met the next week. The night she met, Donny she was so happy and so relaxed, too,”, this is a child who never left our home for two years because she was afraid of red stop lights! He spent 30 minutes just playing and talking to Mallory. Donny usually has Meet and Greets after his show, but, that night it started late because Mallory was showing him the Lady Bug pictures she had drawn for him. When it was time to leave Mallory yelled back over her shoulder “Bye, Don,” and he yelled back “Bye Mallory, I love you.” From then on she told her doctors all about Donny and that he loved her because he told her.

Mallory has Turner syndrome, periventricular nodular heterotopia, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, ADHD, Anxiety disorder, CHD, Aspergers, Bells Palsy and aortic root dilation. We have gone to several events, and as soon as he sees her, he says, “Hi Baby,” and gives her a big hug. He has always been very responsive to Mallory, and when they see each other, he always reaches out to her and makes her feel at ease.

Mallory’s doctors have clued right in on the beneficial effect Donny Osmond has on Mallory. Her Pediatrician and heart doctor both have Donny as the background on their computers just to show Mallory when she comes in. Donny’s music has been used heavily in Mallory’s therapy. Mallory is slow in responding to people, but, when asked about Donny, or asked anything about singing and how he sings, she is eager and replies quickly. Her calm-down time consists of listening to Donny on her iPod. Mallory has trouble sleeping, but she responds so well to the sound and tone of his voice she goes to sleep every night with his music playing.

Mallory is now 8, and she has run the last two years in the Danny Gans Champions Run for Life that is hosted by Donny Osmond. It is a collaborative partnership to raise money for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation (NCCF). Together, Donny Osmond and NCCF, as well as friends and volunteers, raise money for programs and services specifically for local families with children diagnosed and suffering with life-threatening illnesses.

Photos courtesy Rebecca Reynolds

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This post originally appeared on our March/April 2013 Magazine