American Idol's David Cook — "He's My Hero"

When David Cook rocks out on American Idol, hordes of screaming young women reach out to him from the show's live audience in Los Angeles. But no one has a closer connection to him than a courageous young girl 2,200 miles away in Florida — and the symbol of their bond is on David's wrist, for the show's millions of viewers to see!

The orange plastic band David, 25, has been wearing since mid-March is a message of friendship and support for a special fan: Tampa native Lindsey Rose Belcher, a brave 7-year-old who was diagnosed with leukemia last Christmas.

"I met David when I was in L.A. covering the show the first week of March and told him he was my daughter's favorite Idol," Lindsey's dad, Charley Belcher, a feature reporter for Fox WTVT Channel 13 in Tampa, tells Star. "I also told him about my daughter's condition — and David said, 'Let's call her and make her day!'"

Charley called his daughter at home and told her someone wanted to speak with her. Then David took the phone — "and I could hear her squealing on the other end!" says her dad. "David was very sweet and gave her inspirational words of encouragement. Afterward, she told me, 'Daddy, that was so cool! I can't believe David took the time to call me!' She sounded like a typical giddy 7-year-old, even though she doesn't have the luxury of having a 'normal' 7-year-old's lifestyle."

But Lindsey's biggest surprise was yet to come after Charley showed David a wristband he was wearing in tribute to his daughter.

To support his little girl, Charley had wristbands made up in orange — Lindsey's favorite color — for their friends and family, with her name printed on one side and "Do Whatcha Gotta Do" on the other.

"Lindsey was in the hospital early on, and I was sad when I had to leave her to go back to work," he says. "She cheerfully told me, 'Do whatcha gotta do, Daddy' — and that phrase just stayed with me.

"David asked me if he could have one of the wristbands. I gave him an extra I had with me, and he said, 'Tell Lindsey Rose to look for it on American Idol!'"

Lindsey was camped in front of the TV for Idol on March 11 — and there was David, sporting her wristband! "She yelled, 'He wore it, Daddy, he wore it!' She was dancing around and jumping up and down!" Charley tells Star. "He's worn it every week since, and my daughter gets just as excited each time.

"What David has done is a small gesture that means the world to a little girl who can forget she has cancer for a little while — and that’s what it’s all about."

Find out how David's own family has been touched by cancer in the April 14 issue of Star, on sale now.

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