Alan Frew and his ’80s band Glass Tiger surprised one of their biggest fans with an impromptu serenade at an Alberta seniors’ home.
Staff at the Pleasant View Lodge in Mayerthorpe — about 130 kilometres northwest of Edmonton — said the Canadian hitmakers stopped by after learning that 95-year-old Jean Savage regularly listened to a CD of their music.
Frew posted a video of Friday’s encounter on his Facebook page (scroll down to view), in which he can be seen singing Someday mere feet from Savage, who claps intermittently in appreciation.
Accompanied by a piano and backing vocalist, Frew steps forward at one point to hold both of Savage’s hands while she beams.
Chief administrative officer Dena Krysik said it was an “amazing” performance and that Savage is still talking about it days later.
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Krysik said a staff member contacted the band when she learned they were set to perform at the Eagle River Casino in the nearby town of Whitecourt, and told them about a very special fan at the seniors’ home.
Frew said on his Facebook page that he couldn’t resist the opportunity to meet “this dear, sweet, lady.”
“Her face when I approached her was beyond priceless and we shared the biggest hug,” Frew said in a Facebook post.
“Thank you Jean, you probably think we gave a gift to you…. believe me, nothing could be farther from the truth…..You are the gift.”
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Krysik said the brief visit came just as Savage was about to head to a bingo game.
While staff knew the band was considering the favour, they weren’t sure if they’d actually come by, or when. Krysik says they ended up spending about 20 minutes at the facility that afternoon.
“It was so great of them to actually do that for her,” Krysik said Monday when reached by phone.
“It was just a great experience [and] watching the joy that she got from it was unexplainable, really.”
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