Garth Brooks gets emotional while testifying at civil trial vs. Yukon hospital
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood (right) greet fans before a civil trial at the Rogers County Courthouse in Claremore, Okla. on Friday, January 20, 2012. Photo by Matt Barnard/Tulsa World
CLAREMORE – Country music superstar Garth Brooks tearfully told jurors Friday (today) that he believed he had a “done deal” to honor his late mother with a women’s health center in his Oklahoma hometown, according to the Associated Press.
Brooks said he still doesn’t understand how he received nothing for his $500,000 gift to the Yukon hospital.
Born in Tulsa, raised in Yukon and now living near Owasso, Brooks is suing Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital, accusing the facility and its president of reneging on a pledge to build the center and name it after his mother, Colleen, who died of cancer in 1999. The center was never built, and Brooks wants his money back, plus punitive damages.
According to the AP, Brooks said he gave $500,000 to the hospital anonymously, which he said was his custom when giving to charities. The singer said he, his family and the hospital wanted to keep things quiet until a ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce the center.
He was eventually shown architectural drawings of a proposed women’s center bearing his mother’s name. But the center was never build and his mother’s name wasn’t attached to anything.
“How this thing went wrong, I don’t know,” Brooks testified.
The singer donated the money in 2005.
By March 2009, he’d asked the hospital to either refund his money or give it to another charity. In September 2009, Brooks sued.
-BAM
Thank you for joining our conversation on BAM's Blog. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.
I don’t think Mr. Brooks really needs the money back, it is the principle. The hospital made a promise and and failed to keep their word. I’ve heard Mr. Brooks speak of his mother, and his respect and love for her is evident. I’m sure he will find some charity to give this money to that can use it wisely. Sorry, hospital you messed with the wrong cowboy.