Texas teen Ben Breedlove had managed to beat his hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – heart disease – three times before finally passing from a heart attack on Christmas night, but not before letting rapper Kid Cudi know what he meant to the 18-year-old.
On Dec. 6, Breedlove passed out at school because of his heart condition, wrote CelebrityCafe.com. As he was being revived, Breedlove said that he envisioned himself and Kid Cudi wearing suits and standing in a white room.
Cudi then led Breedlove to a glass desk where he put his hand on the teen’s shoulder and recited two lines from his song “Mr. Rager”: “When will the fantasy end? When will the heaven begin?”
This incident inspired Breedlove to create a two-part video series entitled “This is My Story” on YouTube where he shared his hopes, dreams and fears, reaching a total of 2.3 million international viewers and supporters, including Cudi himself, according to ABC News.
“This has really touched my heart in a way I can’t describe, this is why I do what I do,” Kid Cudi wrote in a reaction to Breedlove’s videos. “Him seeing me in detail, in his vision really warmed my heart. I broke down, I am [brought] to tears,” Cudi continued in his own blog.
The videos showed Breedlove sitting in a room with handwritten notecards that told his story, a very simple and effective way to distribute his hopeful and empowering message.
“I cannot even begin to describe the peace, how peaceful it was,” Breedlove wrote about a time when he was 4 years old and caught a glimpse of heaven. “I will NEVER forget that feeling or that day.”
The message following Breedlove’s description of his Kid Cudi experience, read: “I then looked in the mirror, I was proud of myself of my entire life, everything I have done. It was the BEST feeling.”
The rapper posted this message on his blog after hearing of Ben’s death: “I am so sad about Ben Breedlove. I watched the video he left for the world to see, and him seeing me in detail, in his vision really warmed my heart.”
A memorial service of 1,500 supporters, friends and family was held for Ben Breedlove on Dec. 29 at Gateway Church in Breedlove’s home town.
“I know Ben is at Peace, and I hope he gets a chance to sit and talk with my Dad. We love you Ben. Forever. Thank you for loving me,” Cudi finished off his blog. “To Ben’s family, you raised a real hero, he’s definitely mine.”
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