Joey Feek: Late Country Singer Honored At ACM Awards With Touching Tribute And Standing Ovation

Joey Feek, the late country singer, was honored at the 2016 ACM Awards on Sunday, April 3, just one month after she lost her battle with terminal cancer at the young age of 40.

“A few weeks ago, we lost a member of our country music family with the loss of Joey Feek,” presenters Martina McBride and Darius Rucker said to the packed MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, according to Us Weekly. “Joey was more than a wonderful singer and an ACM-winning artist with her husband, Rory. She was a beloved mom, daughter, family member and friend. Of all of the different ways we could honor Joey, what would mean the most to Joey and her family is just for one more time, for all of her fans and all of us who love her to give her a big round of applause.”

As a photo of Joey Feek appeared on the screen behind McBride and Rucker, the entire room of attendees rose to their feet in a standing ovation for the young mother and country music singer.

Standing ovation for Joey Feek.???? @joeyandrory #ACMs #InMemory pic.twitter.com/3yQRinEncD

— Grand Ole Opry (@opry) April 4, 2016

Martina McBride concluded the tribute by offering their prayers to the Feek family. She also acknowledged that Rory Feek’s daughter Hopie and Joey Feek’s best friend Julie were present in the audience.

“Joey’s daughter Hopie and her friend Julie are here with us tonight,” McBride explained. “God bless them, and God bless you, Joey.”

According to a previous report by the Inquisitr,Joey Feek passed away on March 4 after a long battle with cervical cancer. Joey was first diagnosed in May 2014, three months after giving birth to her daughter, two-year-old Indiana (Indy). At the advice of her doctors, Joey underwent a radical hysterectomy and several rounds of chemotherapy. Although she underwent intense treatment, unfortunately it was discovered in October 2015 that her cancer had returned and was spreading. Joey was left with an impossible decision — to continue treatment, knowing it would only buy her more time, or say enough is enough.

As hard as it was, Joey made the heartbreaking decision to stop treatment and return to her home in hospice care to spend the remainder of her days with her family and friends.

“My wife’s greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven,” Rory wrote on his blog This Life I Live at the time of Joey’s death. “The cancer is gone, the pain has ceased and all her tears are dry. Joey is in the arms of her beloved brother Justin and using her pretty voice to sing for her savior. At 2:30 this afternoon, as we were gathered around her, holding hands and praying.. my precious bride breathed her last. And a moment later took her first breath on the other side.”

Following Joey’s death, Rory and Indiana returned to their farmhouse in Tennessee to lay Joey to rest. They had a beautiful ceremony, and buried Joey in the family cemetery on their farm. Even though it is hard for him to be at their home without his bride, Rory said Joey would have wanted them there, and he visits her grave every day.

“I feel so many emotions all at the same time,” Rory wrote. “Blessed. Lost. Proud. Scared. Encouraged. Tired. Thankful. I have a lot of good people around me and they pour love all over Indy and I. It’s hard to be in this old house without Joey, but I know she wants us here. And I know it’s where we need to be.”

[Photo by Rick Diamond/ Getty Images]