WEST BATON ROUGE — As American Idol contestant John Foster took the national stage Sunday night, singing the soul-stirring original song “Tell That Angel I Love Her” in memory of his best friend Maggie Dunn, millions of viewers were moved to tears. But no one felt the moment more deeply than Maggie’s mother, Erin Martin, who traveled to witness the performance live — a bittersweet blend of grief, pride, and hope.

“I didn’t hear him say, ‘I love you, Maggie,’ when I was there live,” Martin recalled in an emotional interview with UWK. “I could see him get emotional on stage. I didn’t hear the ‘I love you, Maggie’ until I was at home because of all the clapping and whatnot. But it just meant a lot to hear him say that.”

Foster, who made it to the American Idol Top 14, performed with raw vulnerability. His original ballad was written on the day Maggie Dunn and her friend Caroline Gill were killed in a tragic car crash on New Year’s Eve 2022. Sitting by the bayou, John poured his grief into the song, telling UWK in an earlier interview, “It is the most beautiful, yet the most horrific thing I’ve ever created.”

The New Year’s Eve crash that changed everything

Maggie Dunn and Caroline Gill, both students at Brusly High School, were killed in December when a police officer pursuing a suspect in a high-speed chase crashed into their vehicle. Maggie’s brother, Liam Dunn, was also in the car and suffered severe injuries, spending nearly a month in the hospital.

In the wake of unimaginable loss, Maggie’s father, Randall Dunn, has launched the Margaret “Maggie” Edline Dunn (MED) Foundation in honor of his daughter. The foundation aims to carry on Maggie’s spirit and create positive change in the community.

“Hopefully somebody with the power to enact change will hear it and step forward”

Martin, watching from the audience alongside Foster’s family and friends, said the moment was unforgettable.

“It was all snot and ugly tears watching him sing,” she said with a soft laugh through tears. “We had a sign, a little sign that I think they showed on TV, but Elizabeth, his sister, was holding the Caroline and Maggie sign that you could clearly see in the video. And that was just kind of another special moment to show their names.”

The performance didn’t just move hearts — it moved people to action. Since John sang her daughter’s name on national television, Maggie Dunn’s story has been searched numerous times. For Martin, this visibility brings hope.

“Hopefully that maybe somebody with the power to enact change will hear it and step forward,” she said. “We’ve been a little frustrated at the state level with nothing happening. So perhaps people within their own communities, maybe they’ve had similar things happen, and maybe they’ll see that this frustration is not just singular events. Maybe people will eventually realize the need to do something about what’s really a systemic problem.”

 “He was kind of shy. He was quiet, but I’ve seen him literally just come out of that shell”

Martin also shared what made John’s friendship with Maggie and Caroline so special — a bond of sincerity and mutual encouragement.

“That’s what made their friend group so special. With Maggie’s best girlfriends, it wasn’t the typical friendship,” she explained. “They didn’t stab each other in the back. They didn’t gossip. They were just genuine friends who built each other up. It was the same way between them and John Foster. Maggie always believed in his talent.”

She smiled remembering how John, known for his gentle and respectful manner, remained unchanged by the spotlight.

“He was kind of shy. He was quiet, but I’ve seen him literally just come out of that shell. He walks on the stage just waving and smiling. He says, ‘God bless you all.’ Every time he leaves, everybody is ‘Mr.’ and ‘Miss,’ which in some cases, is kind of funny,” she said. “It’s a very funny story about the first time he met Jelly Roll, and he called him ‘Mr. Roll.’ And Jelly Roll said, ‘Please don’t ever say that again’.”

American Idol with John Foster | “I am so freaking proud of him”

Martin believes Maggie saw something special in John long before the rest of the world did.

“He carries around a letter that she wrote for him. It was an assignment for a junior English class, and in it, she talks about how he has to keep pushing with this because he has talent.”

Now, with the nation watching, John is doing just that.

“In a lot of ways, I’m not surprised,” Martin said proudly. “He was valedictorian. If he has a goal, he’s going to achieve it.”

And she had one more message for the fans — and for John.

“I am so freaking proud of him, and it’s one thing to comment how beautiful a song was, but you got to vote.”

John Foster competes again this Sunday night on American Idol on ABC as he aims for a spot in the Top 10. For Erin Martin, it’s more than just a competition. It’s a living tribute to a friendship that endures, and a daughter whose light still shines.