OKC 7-Year-Old Girl Chases Singing Dreams After Overcoming Rare Condition

A young metro girl set a goal to sing at a football game. She'll get her wish at a high school game next week. Seven-year-old Scout Terrel faced a rare condition that nearly took her life. 

She wants to make the most of her second chance. At the Terrel household, people will hear music from the source. 

“We all love to sing,” said Jessica Terrel, Scout’s mother. 

Scout Terrel has been preparing to sing under the bright lights. 

“I got better and better,” Scout said. “My whole life I've wanted to sing the national anthem at a football game.” 

Scout’s journey began when she was 18 months old — when she caught a fever. Her Jessica Terrel faced an unlikely reality.

“And her fever just wouldn’t go away, and it progressively was getting higher and higher,” Terrel said. “It was like a hundred and four point two.” 

Doctors at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital diagnosed Scout with the rare life-threatening syndrome HLH or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. It’s a complicated condition that attacked Scout’s body. 

“She had like a three percent survival rate,” Terrel said. “We were stuck in a room. She wasn’t allowed to leave because she didn’t have an immune system. It didn’t exist. so, we were literally just stuck in between these four walls.” 

Scout had the right doctors who caught her condition in time. 

“Thank God. It saved her life,” Terrel said. “I don’t know what I'd do without her.” 

Scout can focus on her preparation for her time in the spotlight.

“She nails it when she does it,” Terrel said. “We’re super excited.” 

On another note, Scout hopes OU Football will let her sing on the field someday. A new rhythm echoes through Scout’s home because she still gets the chance to sing and the freedom to dream. 

“We learned not to take any day for granted,” Terrel said. “We’re gonna sing for all the kiddos who can’t.” 

Doctors routinely monitor Scout’s health to make sure everything is OK. She will sing the national anthem at the Southmoore High School football game on Sept. 19.