The news was doubly good Friday night as hundreds gathered at the Mall of America to sing "Clouds" in honor of Zach Sobiech, the Lakeland teen who wrote the song that became a worldwide sensation.
Along with more than $600,000 raised benefiting Children's Cancer Research Fund and Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare at the sixth annual "Clouds' Choir for a Cause" performance at the Bloomington mall, actor Justin Baldoni had a message to deliver to Laura and Rob Sobiech, Zach's parents.
A movie about Zach's life, based on Laura's book, "Fly a Little Higher," was going to be made in 2019. (You can watch the announcement here):
"Clouds" became a global phenomenon after its release in December 2012. The song's video had surpassed 3 million views at the time of the 18-year-old's death from osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer in May 2013 and is now close to 14 million.
Warner Bros. bought the movie rights to Laura Sobiech's book, released in 2014. Baldoni, known from the TV series "Jane the Virgin" has been slated to direct and produce the film
Joining the Sobiechs at the mall's rotunda for the KS95 for Kids Radiothon and group sing were hundreds in school choirs, churches choirs, groups and families.
The total, according to KS95: $603,870. That builds on the $15.4 million raised in the radiothon's previous years.
Catch more scenes from the emotional evening here:
