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Escalon HS senior playing parking lot concerts for seniors | Everyday Heroes

Last fall, Mitchell Cole helped his high school football team get to the state championship. Now, the musician is playing the saxophone at a senior living facility.

ESCALON, Calif. — Everyday Heroes are all around us, and they’re making a difference in our community. ABC10 wants to highlight an Everyday Hero in San Joaquin County.

Mitchell Cole, an Escalon High School senior, has been providing socially distant concerts for seniors. It started out with him playing the saxophone in front of a neighbor's house.

"I started playing in front of her house, and one of the neighbors came out — and she worked for SEVA hospice — now I play for them," Cole explained.

For the past several weeks SEVA Hospice has asked Mitchell to play more than a dozen parking lot concerts for their clients. Now, instead of practicing in his bedroom, Cole packs up his saxophone and heads to the senior living facility.

Cole follows coronavirus guidelines by never going into the care facilities, and staying in the parking lot just outside.

His concerts usually last about 25 minutes — enough time to play about a dozen or so songs.

"I try to pick music that is universal, like somewhere over the rainbow," Cole said. "I play a lot of church music."

The high school senior also sings in the choir and plays in a band. Last fall, he even helped his high school football team get to the CIF State Championships playing on the offensive and defensive lines.

Now, he has plans to play music in College.

"I think music is a gateway to the soul, and it's a great way to help people," Cole said.

Whether they're listening through a window or at the entrance of a door, Cole says the music seems to reach his audience in a way he's never experienced before.

"It's all smiles. It really is," Cole said. "I mean, one guy got up out of his wheelchair and started dancing to 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow.'"

Mitchell is an Everyday Hero for using his musical talents to brighten the day of those most vulnerable to coronavirus.

If you want to nominate an everyday hero, email John Bartell or follow him on Facebook.

CHECK OUT MORE FROM JOHN BARTELL'S EVERYDAY HERO SERIES:

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