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Pop stars turn out for sick kids

By LIZ SADLER
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: December 23, 2004)

VALHALLA — Darnell Cheeks smiled and sang along yesterday morning to the song "Daughters" by John Mayer during a live concert and radio broadcast at Blythedale Children's Hospital.

The 18-year-old Blythedale patient scored a front-row seat just a few feet away from the Grammy-winning musician.

"He just sounds really good," Cheeks said, when asked why he is a fan.

Mayer and pop musicians Darlene Love, Rob Thomas and surprise guest Jon Bon Jovi performed for some 230 sick and recovering children at a fund-raising event sponsored by the Manhattan-based radio station WPLJ-95.5. The audience also heard Christmas carols by WPLJ's band Rudy and the Elftones and the seasonal band Holiday Express.

It was the 13th annual Blythedale holiday party, hosted by WPLJ disc jockeys Scott Shannon and Todd Pettengill and members of their morning show staff.

The four-hour live broadcast, which included an on-air auction, raised $275,000 for hospital programs and services.

"It's pretty obvious if you look out in front of us and you see these kids, they're the only reason we came," said Shannon, a Purchase resident. "The word gets around to all the artists and once they come, they come back whenever they can."

Rows of tiny wheelchairs filled the hospital's gymnasium, where Frosty the Snowman, Elmo and Ronald McDonald circulated among the crowd.

In attendance were Blythedale's most famous residents, formerly conjoined twins Carl and Clarence Aguirre. The 2 1/2-year-old brothers were recovering from recent skin graft and tonsil and adenoid surgeries.

A hospital social worker cradled Carl in the middle of the packed gymnasium; Clarence slept through much of the concert in his mother's arms.

Singer Love said of the event: "It's something that we like doing. I made a real, real effort to go out and speak and touch each one of the children." She'll perform tonight on the "Late Show with David Letterman."

The amount raised yesterday exceeded last year's proceeds of $215,000, thanks to some generous donors. A $100,000 donation from the Generoso Pope Foundation was announced toward the end of the broadcast, and auction prizes drew bids in the thousands. Lunch with Bon Jovi went for $11,000, and a guitar signed by Mayer for $1,800.

Patient Theresa Hendrikson, 16, shrieked when asked about her favorite performer at yesterday's concert.

"Rob Thomas! He's a hottie!" she said.