This is the moment Andrew McMurdie took to the stage again to perform to a crowd after losing his voice for three months due to Covid-19.
The 22-year-old, from Poyntzpass, used Post It notes and a whiteboard to communicate with his family after he contracted the virus in 2021. A talented singer, Andrew says losing his voice was a huge blow, and something he worked hard to come back from.
Speaking to Belfast Live two years after he tested positive for coronavirus, Andrew said he has now written two of his own songs, and was overjoyed to be invited to the NI Country Music Awards last week, where he sung to a room full of people.
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"In 2021, I contracted Covid-19 and on day 11 I developed a stammer and was missing words in sentences," he said.
"Throughout that day it progressed so when I got to hospital they said it looked like a stroke. The symptoms were similar to a stroke, only my face was not drooping. My speech was very bad.
"By time I got up onto the ward, I had no speech at all and was using Post It notes to communicate with people. When I got out of hospital, I had my speech back a little but still had severe stoppage and I had that for six days - then my speech went again and I couldn't speak for three months.
"I upgraded my form of communication to a whiteboard then, away from the Post It notes. I also used an app which allowed me to text into it, and it would speak out loud.
"Throughout the months, I had to go to speech therapy in Portadown and it was an absolute struggle going to every appointment. It was tough. I had to rebuild my speech, everything. It wasn't like I woke up one day with everything back, it was a steady progress."
When Andrew was in hospital. he was unable to hum but he could whistle - he says he was actually able to sing again, before he could talk.
Now he is focused on his music career and is urging those in the industry to never give up hope.
"With every health problem I have faced, I have always come out on the other side," he said.
"I knew it was always a matter of time, that I could sing again. I never thought 'this is my life now', and I never gave up. I was invited to the Northern Ireland Country Music Awards and I was deleted to be on stage.
"It was overwhelming because it was my first big gig in a while. I have started song writing now, and released a song this time last year. That was my first.
"Last week I released my second song, so the whole speech thing helped me out creatively. I wasn't really writing before, but since it's happened, it has put things into perspective for me. Time is very limited, so you can;t just sit around and wait for things - I believe you should just do it now."
To hear more of Andrew's music, you can visit him here on Spotify.
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