James Bryant, 4, of Janesville, sports a t-shirt supporting Danny Gokey for American Idol during a party at Faithbuilders International in Beloit.
Sandra Marko, left, and Elvira De Marco, both of Beloit, cry after Milwaukee's Danny Gokey was eliminated from American Idol during an Idol party at Faithbuilders International in Beloit
BELOIT — Walk among the congregation at Faith Builders International in Beloit, and it seems as though everybody is Danny Gokey’s close friend.
And that’s not because Gokey was among the three semifinalists on the stage of the “American Idol” TV singing contest Wednesday night.
So the disappointment was genuine when Ryan Seacrest announced that Gokey would not be one of the two finalists on the show.
Men and women teared up. Teenagers started a cheer: “Go D! Go D!”
Some 200 people came to their church Wednesday, as they have been doing for weeks, to praise God and then to watch their hero advance to the final stages of the competition.
They all had gone through the grief when Gokey’s wife, Sophia, died last year, shortly before he auditioned for the show.
Their pastor saw that Gokey needed a purpose in life after his loss, friends said, so he pushed Gokey to audition, even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to.
The congregation looked stunned Tuesday as the news sank in.
The Rev. Terry Morehouse quickly stepped up and spoke:
“We all know this guy’s life has changed tremendously. And we know this guy’s set for life, and it’s the will of God. Let’s not hold our heads down. It’s a good thing.”
Crying in the second row was Sandra Marko: “He’s one of my closest friends. At least we’re hoping he’s going to be coming home. We know he has a big career ahead of him, so maybe he’s not coming back so soon.”
Some said beforehand that they believed God wanted Gokey to win.
“Because he has faith behind him. He has faith in God,” said Sequoia Rogers, a UW-Whitewater student.
And if God doesn’t want him to win?
“He’s going to open up another door for him. It won’t be the end,” said Rogers’ fellow student Haley Castro.
Gokey has been the praise and worship leader for Faith Builders International in Beloit and its sister congregation in his hometown of Milwaukee for over four years.
Otis Beaty, who backed Gokey up on drums, recalled Gokey got sick to his stomach when he first took the microphone to lead worship.
Now, “it’s so unreal to know that Dan is a celebrity now,” Beaty said.
As sadness set in, Beaty put his arm around the neck of Ruben “Papin” Burgos, who has known Gokey since his youth.
“He’s a very humble person. He has a very genuine love for people,” Burgos said. “What you see is what you get.”
Burgos said Gokey has a passion for leading people to God. “He’s just joyous on stage, and you can’t help but feel good.”
But now, friends believe, Gokey is headed for a career with his other love, singing.
Ironically, the show uses a term from the Bible, “idol,” and of course, Christianity opposes false gods.
Morehouse is not happy with the name of the show. “We do not idolize Danny in any way, shape or form,” he said. “We can’t say enough about what this guy has been through in the past year. ‘American Idol’ is just a TV show, which is just a vehicle for him to go to the next level in his life, with his gift.”
And Gokey’s friends will be right behind him, cheering every step of the way.
Marko, despite her tears, is looking forward to more triumphs for her friend. She’s also got tickets to the sold-out Milwaukee stop on the American Idol tour.