Country music star Brad Paisley demonstrated his support for Ebola-infected physician Dr. Kent Brantly in a tweet and song dedication revealed last weekend.
Dr. Brantly is one of two Americans who contracted the Ebola virus in Liberia and are being treated in Atlanta, Georgia. Paisley said he was struck by Brantly's selflessness and determination.
While Brantly was receiving treatment in a Liberian hospital, he opted to let the second Ebola-infected American, Nancy Writebol, receive the only dose of an experimental health serum.
Dr. Brantly is the medical director for the Samaritan's Purse Ebola Consolidated Case Management Center in Monrovia, Liberia, and Writebol is a Serving in Mission (SIM) charitable volunteer who was also working in the Case Management Center.
Paisley expressed admiration for Brantly in a tweet posted Saturday.
"Pray for Dr. Kent Brantly - one of those brave souls who risks his life to save others," he wrote.
One minute later, the three-time Grammy Award-winner leaked the bonus track from his upcoming album, "Moonshine in the Trunk," – a spiritual ballad entitled "Me and Jesus."
"I'm moved by the Christian Dr. Fighting Ebola who gave the serum to his friend," Paisley said in a tweet. "So here's a bonus track. For him."
Brantly and Writebol were both medically evacuated from Liberia in the past week—one of the West African countries that has been devastated by the most recent Ebola crisis.
The outbreak began in Guinea in February, and quickly spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced Wednesday that a nurse that treated Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer died in Nigeria, bringing the number of deaths in that country to two. Sawyer contracted the disease in Liberia, then flew to Nigeria. One of his doctors contracted the virus, and one other health care worker is exhibiting symptoms. The total number of deaths from the Ebola outbreak is now 932.
