My Sister Was Dying, A Stranger Speaking Up Saved Her | Hailey Hutcheson

This week on The Upload, Brooke Taylor and Pastor Mark Evans sit down with singer/songwriter Hailey Hutcheson for a powerful conversation about trusting God when nothing makes sense, finding hope in her family’s darkest season and using music to point people toward Jesus. The oldest of five girls, Hailey grew up in a close, faith-filled family. But when her younger sister became seriously ill, everything changed. At just 13, Hailey found herself helping care for her siblings while her parents searched the country for answers. After years of appointments and uncertainty, doctors told the family there was nothing more they could do—and encouraged them to take her sister home to spend her remaining time together. What happened next is something Hailey calls her family’s miracle. On what they believed might be their last family vacation together, a flat tire left them stranded in rural Mississippi. At a gas station, a stranger recognized something about her sister’s condition and connected the family with a doctor who could help. That unexpected encounter led them to life-saving treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio. Today, her sister still lives with a chronic illness, but she’s thriving, attending college and looking toward her future. Hailey gets honest about the private battles that unfolded along the way—the tears, the unanswered prayers and the question of why a good God would allow someone she loved to suffer. Growing up in church had given her a foundation, but this season forced her to decide for herself whether she would trust Him. As a teenager, she made a deeply personal promise: even if she lost her sister, she would keep trusting God. She also shares how honest, messy prayers became a lifeline. From crying in a high school bathroom stall to wrestling with questions she couldn’t answer, Hailey describes finding God’s presence in places where peace seemed impossible. Brooke and Mark reflect on why wrestling with God can be part of staying close to Him—and why you don’t need perfect words to bring Him what’s on your heart. The conversation also explores the impact of a loving father. Hailey opens up about how her dad modeled strength, tenderness and honesty, helping shape both her expectations for relationships and her understanding of her Heavenly Father. For the dads listening, she shares two things that mattered most in difficult moments: being willing to listen and lovingly telling her the truth she needed to hear. Hailey also takes us inside the heart behind “Splinters,” a song born from her desire to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and encourage others to do the same. She, Brooke and Mark unpack what it means to carry your cross, the cost of being bold about your faith and why following Jesus brings a freedom the world can’t offer. Through her music, Hailey hopes to offer both believers and nonbelievers something deeply needed: hope and the reminder that they’re not alone. Her encouragement to anyone afraid to take that next step of faith? Show up scared. Show up vulnerable. Trust God to meet you there. 🎧 Whether you’re waiting for answers, praying for someone you love or finding the courage to live your faith out loud, Hailey’s story is a powerful reminder that God can meet you in the unknown—and work through an interruption you never would have chosen.