A 10-year-old boy was apparently released by his kidnapper after he irritated him by constantly singing a gospel song.
Willie Myrick was playing with his pet chihuahua outside his Atlanta home when a man grabbed him and forced him into a car, police said.
“He was cursing at me telling me to shut up and didn't want to hear a word from me," Willie told ABC affiliate WSB-TV. “He said if I told anyone, he would hurt me, like in a bad way.”
But according to a report this week by NBC affiliate WXIA-TV, not remaining silent may have saved Willie's life.
A lover of gospel music, Willie, who just turned 10 this week, reportedly started singing the song "Every Praise" until the man - who had been driving around for almost three hours - finally threw him onto the street and drove away.
Touched by Willie's story, Hezekiah Walker, the songwriter behind "Every Praise," flew to Atlanta this week to meet the young man. Walker told WSB-TV that he believes God spoke through him to "save that boy's life."
"You never know who you're going to touch," the gospel singer said.