Gary Gibson, a local sound technician, has a lot of musical friends ready to support his hospitalized nine-year-old grandson, Brayden.
A benefit concert, A Christmas Gift to Brayden, will be held Wednesday Dec. 16 at St. Andrew's Place, 111 Larch St., at 7:30 p.m. A variety of top musical talent in the city will perform.
The boy has been in an Ottawa hospital for three weeks.
“Brayden was rushed to hospital with a virus that attacked his sinuses, and and then moved to his brain,” said Pandora Topp, event organizer.
“They had to operate by drilling into his skull to relieve the pressure. Brayden is paralyzed on one side. Gary and his wife, Susan Haert, have been coping with this unbelievable situation for the last number of weeks, with Gary staying by his grandson's side the entire time,” Topp remarked.
Gary and his wife have raised the boy since he was two years old. The boy has often accompanied his “poppa” at various musical events during sound checks, added Topp.
“Iona Reed and a number of us are putting together Friends of Gary Gibson (FOGG) to raise money for Gary and his family,” she said.
Gibson has passed off his work engagements, and the loss of work is hurting the family financially, Topp added. Reed said the reason the musicians have stepped up to perform for the family is because over the years they have all benefited themselves from Gibson's technical talents in making their music sound better.
When contacted in Ottawa, Gibson was emotional and at loss for words.
“Oh my God, I and Brayden are so appreciative,” was all he could say at the time.
Performers will include:
- Pandora Topp and Cafe Piaf
- Northern Brass Quartet
- Patti Cano
- Canucky Blue Grass with Don Reed
- Sarah Craig
- Heart and Soul Singers
- Chuck Labelle
- Stefan Paquette
- Broche A Foin
Tickets are $10, with all proceeds to the Gibson family. Donations are also gratefully accepted. For more information on how to help or tickets, phone 522-0590.
