Stars and fans are rallying around Contemporary Christian artist David Leonard as his family faces the unthinkable. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and his wife, Natalie Leonard, have asked fans and friends for prayers as one of their two daughters, seven-year-old River, fights for her life in a Nashville hospital.
Early on March 25, 2026, after revealing the previous day that River had been hospitalized with “fluid around her heart,” David posted on social media, “Yall today our little one is fighting for her life. I write this asking for you to lift her up. We are in need of what only the Father can do. Lord bring a miracle”
David Leonard Says Daughter River Has Been Placed on a Ventilator
David’s 2025 album “Just Jesus” was inspired by the heartache of River’s first issues with fluid around her heart a couple of years prior, according to CHVN Radio. On March 24, he let fans know that River’s health had taken a turn again.
The singer-songwriter wrote in a social media post, “Yall we can use your prayers. If you’ve been with us for awhile you know that a couple of years ago River had some fluid build up around her heart and we had to have a procedure to drain it. Everything has been great since then until this week. We are back in Vanderbilt with more fluid around her heart. Can you pray with us that it just drains itself. We have seen the power of prayer and we are believing for it.”
But by the evening of March 25, the situation was still dire as David posted a video update from Vanderbilt Hospital, telling his followers that their family was “blown away” by the love and prayers from so many people.
Revealing that River had complications during surgery the previous night and spent the day sedated on a ventilator, David shared, “Right now, the prayer is we need her blood pressure to even out. Right now it’s being held up by medication and right now we need it to not be.”
David Leonard’s Family Has Been Flooded With Prayerful Comments From His Music Peers
David, who first rose to prominence in 2010 as one-half of the Grammy-nominated duo All Sons & Daughters, went solo in 2019, per his website. He’s also a Dove Award-winning producer, working with the likes of Brandon Lake and Jaci Velasquez.
Many stars have rallied around the Leonards, leaving encouraging and prayerful comments, including Contemporary Christian superstar Natalie Grant, who wrote, “Praying and believing for a miracle healing!”
Lake left four prayer hands emoji — “🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼” — and TobyMac wrote, “Praying my brother.” Country star Carly Pearce also commented, “Praying 🤍🙏”
Multiple “American Idol” alums also weighed in, including 2024 runner-up Breanna Nix, who wrote, “praying!!!!!!!!”
Danny Gokey, who’s become a successful gospel artist since placing third on the eighth season of “Idol,” commented, “In the mighty name of Jesus. 😢😢”
