Throughout the past couple of weeks, our country has been rocked with a slew of terrible events. From Hurricane Harvey to Hurricane Irma, the torturous storms have left millions of people without their loved ones, homes and much more.
Tonight, ABC and CBS with many other networks broadcasted a live, one-hour, no commercial telethon, Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief. The program featured many A-List celebrities who gave performances, special messages or volunteered their time answering calls in the Verizon Phone Bank.
Here are some of the noteworthy moments from the special event:
Stevie Wonder
The program opened with Stevie Wonder playing the piano gracefully and giving a small speech about loving our planet and each other. He ends with “Lord, please save us all” revealing a mass choir who then starts to sing Bill Withers “Lean on Me."
Oprah and Cher
Oprah and Cher gave their heartfelt message about a group of people who were determined to stand by each other during this time of need. Arms linked and hands crossed, they asked viewers to donate as much as they could.
Usher and Blake Shelton
As co-judges on the hit NBC show The Voice, Blake Shelton and Usher are no strangers to working together. Their live performance of “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King, showed exactly that. Usher graced the viewers with his smooth R&B tone while Shelton added a little flare with his edgy country sound.
Beyoncé
An emotional Beyoncé gave a heartfelt message to her hometown city of Houston, Texas. Spreading love and positivity, Knowles ends with “Natural disasters don’t discriminate … We’re all in this together.”
Justin Bieber and John Gray
After the One Love Manchester concert, Justin Bieber has really let fans in on his spiritual life. Standing alongside pastor John Gray, he bowed his head in prayer for our country.
Tori Kelly and Luis Fonsi
Following Beiber’s segment, Tori Kelly and Luis Fonsi sang a beautiful bilingual rendition of “Hallelujah”.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kerry Washington, Drake, Selena Gomez, Taraji P. Henson, Will Smith and so many more stars were apart of this relief event. By the end of the broadcast, Hand in Hand raised more than $14 million. To donate to the cause click here.
