Former Gang Member Goes Viral for Singing to Hospital Patients
28-year-old Enrique Rodriquez is currently working as a phlebotomist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and has been in the healthcare field for the past nine years. Prior to that, Rodriquez belonged to the Bloods, a notorious gang group known for drug activity, theft and murder.
Rodriquez said he left crime to help people in need, after receiving two life-changing wake-up calls — first, when his brother went to prison in 2009, and, then, when a rival gang made two attempts to take his mother’s life. “I found God at an extremely troubling period in my life and he showed himself to me when I needed him the most,” he told Daily Mail. “I know that God wanted me to care for people just as he cared for me, and the hospital was the perfect place to do that.”
After leaving the gang, Rodriquez landed a job as a hospital housekeeper. One year later, he completed training to become an ICU patient attendant. While caring for others, Rodriquez discovered his musical talents and taught himself to play the piano and guitar.
Now, Rodriquez is a viral TikTok sensation that gained attention for posting videos of himself playing the piano and singing for critically ill patients in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.
“Jesus told me, ‘Use your voice to love others and bring joy and peace,’ ” he said. “So [as] long as there’s air in my lungs, I’ll do just that.”
Image source: Daily Mail
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