Music stars, pals bring holiday cheer to cancer patient
By SONIA MURRAY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/21/2006
In the living room to his left is a Christmas tree; to his right, his oxygen tank.
This is the holiday season for 11-year-old Ajmal Acklin.
His mother says he has a form of cancer called A.L.L. — acute lymblastic leukemia.
"And the doctors say there's not anything else they can do for him," Clarine Andujar White added.
But someone thought Atlanta hip-hop station Hot-107.9 FM could.
"I got a call around Thanksgiving from this guy who was like 'We have a friend,' 'We know this family' we want to put you in touch with," Hot-107.9 announcer Griff recalled. "And around this time we get all kinds of calls from people wanting big-time laptops, PCs, cars and whatever ... but when I talked to [Ajmal's] mom, she said they didn't want anything. He was just a hip-hop fan."
Easy, Griff thought. He and fellow A-Team Morning Show member Akini reached out to some of their celebrity friends, and just after 11 a.m. Thursday a caravan of SUVs and a late-model Mercedes pulled up to Ajmal's Norcross apartment. Multimillion-selling Atlanta rapper-actor T.I., Fabo of local hitmaking act D4L and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Kandi — subbing this week for Hot-107.9's Rashan Ali, who's on maternity leave — all filed into Ajmal's living room to wish him well. They were joined by 13-year-old Atlanta rap newcomer Pootah, fresh from a BET appearance, as well as A-Team members Akini and Beyoncé.
"You like T.I.?" Griff asked, kneeling next to Ajmal.
"Yes," the 11-year-old said faintly, adding that his favorite song is "What You Know."
"Well we've got T.I. here," Griff said. And while Ajmal didn't lift his head from the blue pillow, his eyes lit up.
"How you doing," T.I. cooed. "I just wanted to come see how you're doing ... I heard the church bought you a PS3 [PlayStation 3], so I got you some games."
One by one, each visitor offered their prayers and well wishes, ending with A-Team intern Ree Williams doing a stirring a capella version of the gospel tune "Even Me." Before she hit the last note Ajmal's mom ducked into the kitchen, tears in her eyes.
"I really am glad though," she said, "that they came and brought a smile to his face."
nice story, big ups to t.i and others....
By SONIA MURRAY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/21/2006
In the living room to his left is a Christmas tree; to his right, his oxygen tank.
This is the holiday season for 11-year-old Ajmal Acklin.
His mother says he has a form of cancer called A.L.L. — acute lymblastic leukemia.
"And the doctors say there's not anything else they can do for him," Clarine Andujar White added.
But someone thought Atlanta hip-hop station Hot-107.9 FM could.
"I got a call around Thanksgiving from this guy who was like 'We have a friend,' 'We know this family' we want to put you in touch with," Hot-107.9 announcer Griff recalled. "And around this time we get all kinds of calls from people wanting big-time laptops, PCs, cars and whatever ... but when I talked to [Ajmal's] mom, she said they didn't want anything. He was just a hip-hop fan."
Easy, Griff thought. He and fellow A-Team Morning Show member Akini reached out to some of their celebrity friends, and just after 11 a.m. Thursday a caravan of SUVs and a late-model Mercedes pulled up to Ajmal's Norcross apartment. Multimillion-selling Atlanta rapper-actor T.I., Fabo of local hitmaking act D4L and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Kandi — subbing this week for Hot-107.9's Rashan Ali, who's on maternity leave — all filed into Ajmal's living room to wish him well. They were joined by 13-year-old Atlanta rap newcomer Pootah, fresh from a BET appearance, as well as A-Team members Akini and Beyoncé.
"You like T.I.?" Griff asked, kneeling next to Ajmal.
"Yes," the 11-year-old said faintly, adding that his favorite song is "What You Know."
"Well we've got T.I. here," Griff said. And while Ajmal didn't lift his head from the blue pillow, his eyes lit up.
"How you doing," T.I. cooed. "I just wanted to come see how you're doing ... I heard the church bought you a PS3 [PlayStation 3], so I got you some games."
One by one, each visitor offered their prayers and well wishes, ending with A-Team intern Ree Williams doing a stirring a capella version of the gospel tune "Even Me." Before she hit the last note Ajmal's mom ducked into the kitchen, tears in her eyes.
"I really am glad though," she said, "that they came and brought a smile to his face."
nice story, big ups to t.i and others....
