Maddie Marlow Font and Jonah Font.Photo: Jeff Kravitz/Getty
In one of theCMT Awards' most memorable momentson Monday night,Maddie Marlow Fontcould hardly speak through her emotions as she accepted the prize for group/duo video of the year — and no wonder she was overcome.
As one-half of Maddie & Tae, she was appearing solo in public for the first time in the duo’s decade-long career. Her partner,Taylor Dye Kerr, was home taking care of her infant daughter, Leighton Grace, who was bornalmost three months prematurelyon Jan. 17.
Indeed, such a separation would have been unthinkable before Kerr was hospitalized in December to save her pregnancy. After Leighton was born, the duo declared on Twitter: “She’s beautiful, strong and everything we have ever dreamed of.” Weighing 2 lbs., 5 oz. at birth, Leighton spent 53 days in a newborn intensive care unit before finallybeing releasedon March 11.
Josh Kerr/Instagram; Inset: Steve Granitz/WireImage
On the red carpet before the show, Font opened up about the stress of the past few months as she’s watched her best friend and her husband, songwriter Josh Kerr, be tested.
“I had my big meltdown last week, got all my feelings out,” she revealed to PEOPLE. “It’s been rough, very challenging. Just any curveball you could imagine has been thrown. So, I’ve surrendered everything to God and whatever his plan is, I’m just going to go with it.”
“I really don’t like doing things without Tae,” Font said, “because I haven’t done anything without her since I was 16.”
Maddie Marlow Font.The Tyler Twins
Check out PEOPLE’s full CMT Awards coverage to get the latest news on country music’s big night.
Font reported that Leighton is “a magical little girl” who now weighs “6 pounds and some change.”
“I can’t wait for the world to meet her,” she said, adding that Kerr is “rocking motherhood. It looks so good on her. She’s staying calm, way calmer than I think I would, but that’s her superpower.”
Font also said she’s fully prepared for her new role as “built-in auntie.”
source: people.com
