Haitian-American ‘singing surgeon’ Elvis Francois is bringing us joy amid coronavirus

Dr. Elvis Francois is just what we need amid the deadly coronavirus which has the world on edge and bringing everything to a standstill.

The orthopedic surgery resident at Minnesota’s prestigious Mayo Clinic has been lifting spirits for two years now, sharing videos of his songs on social media.

But his version of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, which he performed with fellow physician Dr. William Robinson, has moved people more than anything else. The video has been viewed over two million times on social media since being posted on Monday.

“In life, there are so many things that divide us. Religion, race, politics, social status and many more….But today a global pandemic brings us all together as one,” Francois wrote on Instagram. “Over the next few months our health care system will be tested. Many lives will be lost. Health care providers will be under an incredible amount of stress to save thousands of people. But when times are as dark as they are today, nothing shines brighter than the human spirit.”

The 34-year-old Haitian-American Connecticut native also appeared on the “Today” show this week and sang an acoustic version of Bill Withers’ classic “Lean On Me.”

“The world’s going through a very, very difficult time right now and it’s just been awesome to be a small part of just making people’s day a little bit better,” the Meharry Medical College School Of Medicine graduate told anchor Savannah Guthrie.

Francois, who grew up singing in church and other singing groups, described the current situation as “tough for everyone.”

“For providers, there’s a lot of anxiety, a lot of uncertainty, frankly. And the beauty of it all is seeing everyone come together for a common cause.”