This beautiful love story should be made into a movie with her daughter playing her part and singing the songs. I'm sure anyone anyone who would watch the movie would leave with tears flowing from their eyes. Such a beautiful love story.
What a wild and beautiful story from both Mother and daughter perspectives. Sad they never met in person but it’s obvious part of her mother lives on through her daughter.
Kudos to American Idol for recognizing and going to the trouble of finding photos concerning the poignant story offered by McKenna concerning her birth mom, Amy, as part of Nowhere Man and Whiskey Girl. That story ends tragically, but due to the compassion of McKenna's adoption family and the wish of her birth family to find her, she gets to start a whole new, wonderful story. I wish her luck on American Idol. She has a beautiful voice.
I was so drawn to this after seeing American Idol. I too looked for my biological family. The unfortunately the outcome was not the same. I’m sorry you lost your bio mom. As I listened to Amy’s bio here I was shocked because I also have Lupus and almost lost my life to a blood infection. This was a very sad story for me to hear. It was also so uplifting knowing that she took after her bio mom as far as talent goes. And they have identical voices. How amazing this is!!
Such an amazing event on American Idol yesterday! I hope her daughter finds comfort and strength in knowing how special she is and how so many of us fell in love with her voice.
HOPEFULLY Amy & Derek Ross's "American Idol" daughter, McKenna, will now begin performing at the NMWG annual LUPUS Benefits in honour of her birth parents who clearly loved each other so very dearly.
Amy and Derrick got together in 1996, 2-3 years later had McKenna, and made the difficult choice to allow her adoption. It appears that they had some knowledge, and approved of the adopting family. McKenna was 25 years old when the American Idol audition taped, February 2024. It was a gift that the Breinholts invited her birth family to the audition, for their first physical, face-to-face meeting. Much respect, and love. ❤
Omg, I can’t stop crying. They look so similar and her voice. It reminds me of my mother, she also passed away, she was a musician and wrote her own songs.
Amy and Derek’s love for music is a blessing, living on in the hearts and minds of their loved ones, especially Amy’s daughter, McKenna, as she sang her mom’s song Tumbleweed at the request of her new found biological family. McKenna was adopted and did not have the opportunity to meet her biological mom, Amy, but instead met her new biological family on American Idol. They met in person for the first time through the thoughtful invitation from McKenna’s adoptive parents. An AMAZING and moving segment on American Idol.❤
God bless you girl for letting me know your amazing mom through you,her legacy lives forever , So grateful to your adopted parents for their generosity
McKenna, I just say your American Idol audition video then went to RU-vid to visit your biological mom and father, you are truly first a gifted child of God thank you for sharing your story to the world what a blessing to have two very strong families whom have come together as ONE. I wish you nothing but the very best in life you are a shining star already much love. Tamara L. Dawson from Lawndale California
I had the fortune of opening for NWM&WG in 2011 in Cedar City, UT. They held my baby for a few moments while I stepped away. They were so sweet! Amy LOVED holding my baby for a bit. But more important than my experience, Amy and Derrick's music was freaking amazing. I just wish more people knew who they were & their music. I will never stop listening to their music.
Her and Derricks daughter. They met in 1996 and married in 2003. What makes this even more tragic is the fact that Derrick took his own life the same night Amy died.
This hits home for me.. I have lupus amongst other autoimmune disorders n health issues and have been in my relationship for over 16 years now.. basically my whole adult life.. we're best friends.. I've heard of other ppl just randomly being taken by lupus with no real warning.. u never know what day will be ur last.. there's only one rheumatologist in my area that accepts my insurance n it was a series of bad experiences at that office.. which means there's no specialist around here that I can go to.. it's terrifying.. I can't get the treatment I need.. that's small town life I guess.. anyway.. I pray for anyone that's going through whatever their battle is wins and has a blessed peaceful life that they get to spend with thier best friend.. good bless y'all💖
Thanks for This Explained a lot about Amy and Derek unconditional ❤️ love ❤️ Mckenna was magnificent on AI I am here because of her and her legacy Greetings from Dublin Ireland 🇮🇪 Tis a small world nowadays.
Wow I didn’t know she had lupus! I have lupus too- I was on chemo since I had lupus Nephritis stage 4 back in 2004. It helped allot and I’m 58 and still alive thank God and I thank my rheumatologist at John Peter Smith hospital in Fort Worth, Texas
What a beautiful love story? Derrick stayed with her till the end even though he knew she’s going to pass. Indeed when she passed a few days after her death Derrick too passed from being heartbroken. Wow! They gave Mckenna for adoption because she’s going to die & they couldn’t take care of her. But Gods goodness led her to find her birth family. Met them for the first time face to face in American Idol. Wow! God is good! After many years God honored Amy & Derricks life through their daughter & once again their music came alive through her. Katy Perry cried I cried it was so moving and powerful. She sang There was Jesus
Why did she give her daughter in adoption? We will never know what we do know is that, thanks to her, a family was very happy ❤ God bless the brave moms!!!
Her mother lives on in her daughter! What an inspiring and emotional performance on American Idol. And hopefully draws attention to Lupus and donations.
I wish Derek Ross didn't take his own life, when there is a child involved you must push threw for them. I'm glad everything turned out ok for Mckenna, many time this story does not have a happy ending.
In other accounts I have it said that Amy was pregnant when she met Derek. There was "no child involved", right s to that child had been given up. Amy was able to choose which family raised her daughter. It is a touching story!
Amy daughter known as mckenna breinholt shown up in american idol and boom, her voice become magic to the world, her background fam become true story of musician birth parent as hard street journey..this is an ideal to be a star with alot story to tell as big music industries to create billion dollars and fame..so american idol management must to movie fast to contract mckenna..🎉❤❤❤❤
I don't like how you don't say how he died in a last attempt to be with his love. He went home with no loved ones supervision, he was left alone and he shot himself to be with whom he considered his soulmate and that makes it the most romantic, giving selfless, sad love story ever!!
So sad😢 together forever..❤ hopefully...when it's not your turn.. how do you know...I'm stil🎉l gonna say together forever❤...their story while tragic, is still so beautiful..And so seeing their daughter on Idol was really such a gift then!❤❤❤
People always lose loved ones and there is no benefit to taking you own life when they go. He knew he had a daughter and could have looked for her and made contact and had some meaning to his life. He took the selfish way out.
Yes she had Lupas and did not want to risk it being genetic. But once they found out she was ok they could have made a different decision at least to maintain contact@@foxelady6359
You just didn’t find the info. This is what I found. [There is something more tragic about what happened between Nowhere Man And A Whiskey Girl. Derrick and Amy Ross had a daughter called McKenna Breinholt. However, things did not go their way as they gave her up for adoption when Amy was twenty-five years old. They ensured McKenna had a good, properly caring home to grow up in, a very hard decision.] This is a write up about their story.
@@leandragilmour2806 with all due respect, I don't trust that source at all. That article seems to have just popped up on a small website a few days ago, written by someone who didn't know Amy or Derrick and has no inside information, just to gather some clicks from the AI buzz. I don't have any direct information about the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy or adoption either (they seem to have kept that very private), but I did know Amy and Derrick and am still connected to many of their very closest friends and family on social media, and here's what I can tell you - all of those people are referring to McKenna as "Amy's daughter", and never "Amy and Derrick's daughter". Take that as you will. I'm sure the family will say more when and if they feel it is appropriate, but in the meantime let's respect their privacy and not spread rumors.
Wow! Was McKenna the daughter of Derek AND Amy? We want to know the rest of the story... McKenna ...Jesus is there and you were placed in the household of your adopted parents for this reason so that you could get the opportunity to be where you are today. Your birth mom made a supreme sacrifice to give you a life that she knew she couldn't give you. May you always feel God's hand on your life. ALWAYS! 🙏💞
That is so sad, the only reason I came to check this out this because her daughter she put up for adoption is now on American idol. It does not talk about who her father was. But I would have to say with them to being in love it's probably him. What should be really sad because not only did she lose her mother before she could meet her. She also lost her father.
