Oak Forest's Chris Medina captured the hearts of "American Idol" judges and fans when he auditioned for the show last month, which made it extra difficult for "Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez to tell him he was cut on Wednesday night's episode.
Medina, a 27-year-old barista who has played in Chicago-area bands for more than a decade, became an "Idol" sensation early on. Medina's fiancé Juliana Ramos was in a serious car accident in 2009, just weeks before the couple's wedding. She was left with brain damage, and the wedding has yet to occur.
Medina, who has been caring for Ramos since the accident, sang The Script's "Breakeven" during his audition, and became an instant sensation. Not only were fans hoping for Medina's success on "Idol," but hoping for Ramos' full recovery.
Friends, family members and fans of Medina have been gathering weekly at Bourbon Street, a bar just south of Chicago, every week to cheer him on.
"It's been very surreal and almost resolving in a way," Medina's friend Mary LiFonti told HuffPost Chicago. "Not that any of this fixes the tragedy that has taken place, but after seeing him for more then a year going through everything that he has, it's great to see some positive energy in his life, Juli's life, and her family's lives."
Unfortunately, Medina's time on "Idol" was cut short. During a pre-recorded episode that aired Wednesday night, the judges said goodbye to the local hero--and Lopez had an on-air breakdown. (Scroll down for video)
"I just couldn't believe I had to deliver this news to this person who had been through a lot--and is going through a lot...I felt like I didn't it do it well enough to send him into where he needed to go in his life and be OK," Lopez told E! Online. "And I didn't want to be a part of that moment in his life."
Photos of Jenifer Lopez
