Vince Gill and Amy Grant Perform Benefit Concert for Stroke Victim

Superstars Vince Gill and Amy Grant headlined a sold-out benefit concert Monday night (June 25) in Music City for a young woman who suffered a debilitating stroke in March.

Nashville’s News Channel 5 reports that Sophie Salveson, 19, was exercising on a treadmill when she was hit by a severe stroke. A native of Nashville, Salveson was a student at the Chicago Institute of the Arts at the time. She was left with little to no movement on the right side of her body, as well as major damage to the speech and comprehension center of her brain.

In the three months since, Salveson has learned to walk again, but her communication and cognitive skills are still badly affected. On June 6 she underwent a procedure to rebuild her skull, but the young student still faces a long and expensive road to rehabilitation.

That’s why Gill and Grant, one of country’s most charitable star couples, agreed to perform at Sophie Shines, a concert to raise funds for Salveson’s medical expenses. The good-hearted spouses headed up a lineup at Nashville’s 3rd and Lindsley that also included jazz guitarist Larry Carlton, Broadway singer Mike Eldred, and former ‘American Idol’ contestants Melinda Doolittle and Mandisa, among many others.

The concert may be over, but Salveson’s struggle will continue. Fans who want to donate can do so at SophieShines.com. One hundred percent of all donations will go to the Sophie Salveson Trust Fund.