Moms united by a heart transplant leave ‘AGT’ cast in tears after ‘Wicked’ duet

In one of the most emotional scenes on reality television ever, two moms performed the “For Good” duet from the “Wicked” musical on “America’s Got Talent” on Tuesday night. Their story is as unique as it is profound, and their performance left exactly zero dry eyes in the house—even Simon Cowell was noticeably moved.

The two mothers—Holly from New York and Kim from Oregon—shared the story about how one heart transplant united them both for life. Holly shared that her son, Jake, passed away in 2007 but became an organ donor prior to his death. Kim’s son, Beckham, was just 16 days old when he received Jake’s heart in a transplant that saved his life.

“The last song I sang to Jake to say goodbye to him was ‘For Good’ from the musical Wicked,” Holly shared.

“And when Beckham was finished with his heart transplant surgery, I wasn’t allowed to hold him, I had to stroke his head,” Kim added. “And the first thing I did when I stroked his head, I sang that song for him from ‘Wicked.’”

Many years after Jake’s death and Beckham’s surgery, Kim wrote a letter to Holly and her family.

“We kept in touch, and then we had the opportunity to meet each other for the first time, and gave me a big hug and it was one of the best moments of my life,” Holly said.

The reason the two women decided to audition for “America’s Got Talent” wasn’t to seek fame or fortune, but rather to share their story and bring attention to the cause of organ donation.

“We would love to spread the word about organ donation — if we could change the heart of one person, it’s worth it,” Kim said.

The two began their “For Good” duet, and it was emotional for not just them but for every single person in the room.

In case you aren’t familiar with the song (or you just need a refresher on the lyrics), it’s sung by the characters of two strangers-turned-eternal-friends, Glinda and Elphaba.

[Glinda:]

I’ve heard it said,
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn.

And we are led to those
Who help us most to grow if we let them.
And we help them in return.

Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you.

Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes the sun,
Like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood.

Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good.

[Elphaba:]

It well may be
That we will never meet again in this lifetime.
So, let me say before we part:

So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you.
You’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart.

And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend.

Like a ship blown from its mooring by a wind off the sea.
Like a seed dropped by a sky bird in a distant wood.

Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better
But because I knew you…

[Glinda:]
Because I knew you…

[Both:]
I have been changed for good.

After the pair finished singing, each of the judges and the entire audience clapped and gave a standing ovation.

“That is the first time in my life that I felt a connection to this kind of music,” judge Howie Mandel said. “This was probably the most magical moment I have ever experienced on ‘America’s Got Talent.’”

Judge Sofia Vergara said, “I think this is a moment we’re always going to remember… this song that obviously you were meant to have between the two of you.”

All four judges moved the moms through to the next round, with Simon Cowell even giving them “10,000 yeses.”

A version of this article was published in July 2023. It has been updated.