Willie Myrick and Gospel Singer Hezekiah Walker Celebrate God At Mt. Caramel Baptist.
On the night of March 31, 9-year-old Willie Myrick was playing with his pet chihuahua outside his Atlanta home when an evil man grabbed him and forced him into a car, police said.
"He was cursing at me telling me to shut up and didn't want to hear a word from me," Willie told ABC affiliate WSB-TV. "He said if I told anyone, he would hurt me, like in a bad way."
Apparently the man planted money near the road to lure the boy so he could grab him.
But according to a report this week by NBC affiliate WXIA-TV, worshipping God through the struggle may have saved young Willie's life.
A Christian, and a lover of gospel music, Willie, who just turned 10 two days ago, reportedly started singing the song "Every Praise" and didn't stop. His abductor apparently became so outraged at the boy's singing, that he threw the young man out of the car hours later and far away from home. The man kept telling Willie to shut-up, but when he wouldn't, the man kicked him out.
Thursday evening, community leaders held a meeting in Willie's honor, celebrating his blessed release and his birthday, but also telling other parents and children what to do if this type of thing happens to them.
"Every praise is to our God," the gospel song begins. "Every word of worship with one accord."
Touched by Willie's story, Hezekiah Walker, the emmy winning songwriter behind "Every Praise," flew to Atlanta this week to meet the young man. Walker told WSB-TV that he believes God spoke through him to "save that boy's life."
"It's just emotional to me, you never know who you're going to touch," the gospel singer said. He said he was moved by the story and just wanted to tell Willie he loved him.
According to CBS Atlanta, there's a $10,000 reward for the capture of the crook who kidnapped Willie. The suspect is described as a black male in his mid- to late-20s. He is said to have been driving a grey 4-door Honda Civic and wearing khaki shorts and a white, short-sleeve shirt with a Nike logo at the time of the abduction.
