Singer Parker McKay, whose mother lived with FTD, exited NBC’s The Voice following her battle round performance on the singing competition’s Oct. 19 episode.

McKay, 29, sang Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party” with fellow contestants the Cunningham Sisters in a battle round to determine who would move on in the competition. Coach Kelly Clarkson selected the sisters to move ahead but said during the show that “it was really hard to watch [McKay] go home.”

The New Hampshire native said the song resonated with her after losing her mother, Tracey Lintelman, in April, a day before her 58th birthday. Lintelman began experiencing symptoms related to FTD nearly five years ago and was diagnosed in summer 2020.

McKay was able to tell her mother about getting onto The Voice right before her death.

“Even though FTD had stolen much of her communication and understanding by the time I was able to tell her [about the show], her eyes lit up and she was wildly excited for me,” McKay told AFTD following her departure from the show. “At times, FTD fails to be a match for love and memories. I had the time of my life making her proud on this show and used my memories of her being my biggest supporter to get me through and to strengthen me.”

In her Voice debut, McKay shared how Lintelman was the reason behind her love of music. McKay wore her mother’s bracelet during her performance to honor her, along with her mother’s engagement ring, which is now her own.

“Performing on The Voice was an absolute dream come true. When I was 17, my mom, who gave me my love of music, drove me to my first-ever singing competition and stood in line with me for 13 hours,” McKay told AFTD. “This was a full-circle moment, and I was so lucky to get to tell her that I’d finally been cast on The Voice after trying for so many years.”