Hardcore Imagine Dragons fans are probably already familiar with the Tyler Robinson Foundation, but for those who aren't CBS Mornings shared an emotional segment about the origins of the nonprofit that helps support families of children battling cancer.
The story began in 2012, when Jesse Robinson snuck his 16-year-old brother Tyler out of the hospital and stole his dad's car to go to an Imagine Dragons show at the Viper Room in Los Angeles. Singer Dan Reynolds spotted Tyler's bald head in the crowd. The frail boy, who was suffering from a cancer known as Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma, was sitting on his brothers shoulders and had a moment with Reynolds, touching heads while singing together.
“I’ve never felt an emotion like that," Jesse told CBS Mornings. "It felt incredibly spiritual, and going home it was an amazing thing to share with my family." (He didn't get in trouble for stealing his dad's car.)
While Imagine Dragons' star exponentially rose, Reynolds stayed in touch with Tyler. “He was just there to enjoy the music, but his attitude towards life was just so inspiring," he recalled. "I can honestly say from that moment I have been changed.”
“There’s nothing that grounds you quicker and reminds you of what matters than when you see a kid who has yet to get to experience all the things you have that has been given a cancer diagnosis," Reynolds added.
Tyler passed away in 2013, and the band started the Tyler Robinson Foundation without hesitation. In the years that have passed, they've been able to raise millions of dollars through an annual gala and have helped more than 2,000 families.
Watch the full CBS Mornings segment above.