Music has a magic of its own, reaching into our hearts in ways that words sometimes can’t. It can lift us up, make us laugh or cry, calm our worries, and even make us feel a little braver. A good song can do wonders for any moment, turning stressful times into something softer, more bearable.
Lindon Beckford, a patient transporter at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, knows this better than most. Since he was a child, Beckford has loved to sing. For him, it’s not about where he sings, but rather the comfort he can bring to others—and to himself—through his voice.
“I was always singing at work. I was always singing as a child growing up, so it was just a natural thing,” he shared, explaining how singing became part of his life. “It was more for a comforting thing… I did that just to comfort myself, but all of a sudden I get to realize people were listening to me.”
Over time, Beckford noticed the positive impact his singing had on the hospital patients he transported. Moved by the difference it made, he made it a regular part of his work. Now, after more than 30 years on the job, he’s perfected his approach, finding just the right songs to help soothe anxious patients as he moves them through the hospital.
“When I hear the patient talking, I listen carefully,” Beckford explained. “If I hear that they’re in pain, I think, ‘What song can I sing to help ease that pain?’” His goal is simple but powerful: to make the journey a little easier for the person beside him. He shared, “At the end, when I get them to their procedure or back to their room, they’ll often say, ‘You know, you made this trip so much easier because of your singing.’”
One moment that stands out to him happened when he was transporting a woman to the catheter lab. As he sang, she joined in with harmony, creating a beautiful, spontaneous duet. “I remember the first time a patient joined in, harmonizing with me,” he recalled. “I was taking her to the cath lab, and she started harmonizing, and I was just like, ‘Oh wow!’ It was amazing. Since then, it’s happened a few times.”
His singing offers a unique kind of comfort, especially to patients who might feel scared or uncertain. “Sometimes they’re confused or frightened. My voice, it’s something they can hold on to,” he said. It’s a gift of reassurance that lets them know they’re not alone. And for those who hear him, his voice becomes a reminder that, despite the setting, there is kindness and care at every turn.
Watch the video below to hear Beckford sing and witness the comforting warmth he brings.
Lindon Beckford, you’re a true hero! Share your thoughts in the comments!
