A choir of voices sings 'Clouds' to boost cancer fight

School choirs, churches choirs, groups and families filled the Mall of America Rotunda with the song made famous by Zach Sobiech before his death in 2013.

December 15, 2018 at 3:30AM
Laura and Rob Sobiech, whose son Zach's battle with cancer inspired the annual "Clouds' Choir for a Cause performance at the Mall of America, waved as they took the stage during the event.
Laura and Rob Sobiech, whose son Zach's battle with cancer inspired the annual "Clouds' Choir for a Cause performance at the Mall of America, waved as they took the stage during Friday's event. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The news was doubly good Friday night as hundreds gathered at the Mall of America to sing "Clouds" in honor of Zach Sobiech, the Lakeland teen who wrote the song that became a worldwide sensation.

Along with more than $600,000 raised benefiting Children's Cancer Research Fund and Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare at the sixth annual "Clouds' Choir for a Cause" performance at the Bloomington mall, actor Justin Baldoni had a message to deliver to Laura and Rob Sobiech, Zach's parents.

A movie about Zach's life, based on Laura's book, "Fly a Little Higher," was going to be made in 2019. (You can watch the announcement here):

"Clouds" became a global phenomenon after its release in December 2012. The song's video had surpassed 3 million views at the time of the 18-year-old's death from osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer in May 2013 and is now close to 14 million.

Warner Bros. bought the movie rights to Laura Sobiech's book, released in 2014. Baldoni, known from the TV series "Jane the Virgin" has been slated to direct and produce the film

Joining the Sobiechs at the mall's rotunda for the KS95 for Kids Radiothon and group sing were hundreds in school choirs, churches choirs, groups and families.

The total, according to KS95: $603,870. That builds on the $15.4 million raised in the radiothon's previous years.

Catch more scenes from the emotional evening here:

Laura and Rob Sobiech, right, stood with their family as they sang Clouds in honor of their son Zach Friday evening at the Mall of America.] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com School choirs, churches choirs, groups and families sang and raised funds for the KS95 for Kids Radiothon, an annual fundraiser benefiting Children's Cancer Research Fund and Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, during the 6th annual "Clouds' Choir for a Cause performance Friday, Dec. 14, 2018 at t
Laura and Rob Sobiech, right, stood with their family as they sang Clouds in honor of their son Zach Friday evening at the Mall of America.] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com School choirs, churches choirs, groups and families sang and raised funds for the KS95 for Kids Radiothon, an annual fundraiser benefiting Children’s Cancer Research Fund and Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, during the 6th annual “Clouds’ Choir for a Cause performance Friday, Dec. 14, 2018 at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

about the writer

Star Tribune

See More