In the know.

Roy Ayers, musician and composer famously said, “The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.” This type of magical connection is the story of David and Mary, two people who were otherwise strangers, now forever bonded through music.

David Moore has been working as a member of Cornerstone’s maintenance team for more than a decade. David’s title is Maintenance Technician, where his job is to help maintain the building with minor repair work and perform preventative maintenance. But his unofficial job, is to sit at the grand piano in the atrium during his breaks to play the piano, often singing along in his smooth soulful voice. The residents who live in the Independent Living area, closest to the Atrium look forward to David’s breaks that are often spent at the piano. David’s gift has always benefited the residents of Cornerstone, but a new resident would be moving in soon that would connect with David’s music in a way no other resident ever had before, a soul connection.

That new resident’s name is Mary Shears. Mary came to live at Cornerstone after living with two debilitating conditions, both dementia and total blindness. Mary was once a fifth grade music teacher but has always counted herself a soul singer and piano player.

“I started very young with the itty-bitty pianos they used to buy the children and went on to the bigger piano. I took lessons for years from a lady in Maud, and I majored in music in college.”

After graduation, Shears married a music major from Lufkin. They celebrated 53 years of marriage before he passed away.

“I played piano, and he played saxophone. I love all music, but my favorite is blues. He played a lot of jazz, though, because that’s what the saxophone will do if you know how to do it. And he knew how to do it.” Singing the blues had been such a core part of Mary’s life before Cornerstone, before blindness, and before dementia.

One day, shortly after Mary moved in, the staff called for David to come to the Bunch Woodview Center to play for Mary, knowing it might be something she’d enjoy. They told Mary there was a man coming to play piano for her, so she asked to be guided to the piano bench where David joined her.

“I played piano, and he played saxophone. I love all music, but my favorite is blues. He played a lot of jazz, though, because that’s what the saxophone will do if you know how to do it. And he knew how to do it.” Singing the blues had been such a core part of Mary’s life before Cornerstone, before blindness, and before dementia.

One day, shortly after Mary moved in, the staff called for David to come to the Bunch Woodview Center to play for Mary, knowing it might be something she’d enjoy. They told Mary there was a man coming to play piano for her, so she asked to be guided to the piano bench where David joined her.

After brief introductions, he began to play a familiar song made famous by Ray Charles, The Right Time. David sang out and in no time, Mary joined him in perfect harmony.

“I just decided to sing along,” said Shears. “I’d never met him before, but I just had to sing.” “It blew us all away. Everyone there absolutely loved it,” said Alexandra Smith, Senior Living Counselor at Cornerstone.

In that moment, the music connected two strangers  that would create a meaningful connection... at just the right time.

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“I just decided to sing along,” said Shears. “I’d never met him before, but I just had to sing.” “It blew us all away. Everyone there absolutely loved it,” said Alexandra Smith, Senior Living Counselor at Cornerstone.

In that moment, the music connected two strangers  that would create a meaningful connection... at just the right time.

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