Heather Wyatt meets, introduces ‘American Idol’ singer who honored Aubreigh Wyatt

Heather Wyatt brought her daughter Aubreigh’s story to a national audience Monday night in the Season 24 premiere of “American Idol.”

Wyatt attended the audition of Jacksonville singer Khloe Grace, a 15-year-old singer-songwriter who wrote and performed “Forever 13,” and said she “went through some of the things Aubriegh went through. It was really hard. I thought if I could write something that could (in some) very small way help someone, then it’s totally worth writing this song.”

Heather Wyatt had not met Grace before the “American Idol” audition at Belmont University in Nashville, which was the first of four auditions in the reality singing competition.

“I first heard Khloe’s song about a year ago,” Wyatt said. “It was beautiful. It was what Aubreigh had gone through.”

Grace, needing two yes votes to reach the Hollywood portion of the competition, left the judges emotional while earning a unanimous vote into the next round.

Lionel Richie was the first judge to speak, saying “I’m just so moved. That’s a gift right there. That’s God looking back at you.”

A visibly emotional Carrie Underwood said “The maturity you possess is quite incredible. The way you had your heart broken for someone you didn’t even know and take that and basically say that something positive is going to come out of it. And think about all the people who hear that and see your story and change their mind. It’s pretty incredible.”

Luke Bryan saluted Grace’s potential as a singer and songwriter and “someone who can do a lot of good in this world.”

After singing her song, which included the lyrics “her story will forever live on. And I’m going to say her name,” Grace said that meeting Heather Wyatt for the first time “means the world to me. You don’t even know.”

This story was originally published January 26, 2026 at 9:37 PM.