Boy, 15, receives Ed Sheeran autographed guitar from nurse while awaiting kidney transplant

PALA ALTO, Calif. (KTVU) - It was a big surprise for a big fan of Ed Sheeran. Kayano Bristow, 15, was presented with a signed guitar from the musician, thanks to a generous gift from one of the nurses at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

He's hoping it will offer Bristow a bit of comfort while he waits for a kidney transplant. For Kayano, who is from Yuba City, music is a welcome distraction.

He says, "We've been here for about 8 months in dialysis waiting for a kidney."

To pass the time while at Palo Alto hospital he's been doing music therapy, learning to strum and pick on a borrowed guitar.

His favorite musician is Ed Sheeran, which turned out to be extremely lucky, considering what happened next.

Nurse Colin James won a signed Ed Sheeran guitar as part of a radio contest. 

James says, "Immediately I thought it would be really cool to do something with that guitar for one of our patients."

And immediately, Kayano came to mind. So did the plan for a surprise.

He presented the signed guitar, while Kayano was practicing an Ed Sheeran song.

April Bristow, Kayano's mom, says "Kayano's 15 years old. I've never really seen him cry. And he for the first time just broke down and cried."

Kayano comes from a family of musicians. It was his grandfather that taught him to play. But he'd never had a guitar of his own.

He says, "I just feel so special having this. I never would have thought I would have gotten anything like this."

The sight of that signature left Kayano speechless. But it was the “Play! Don’t display!” inscription that he's taken to heart.

Kayano says, "I will play this. It is my first guitar. It just will not be displayed. It will be played."

His mother adds, "It'll inspire him to keep playing and never give up. Never give up. Just like with his kidneys."

And Kayano is hoping to take that guitar home soon. His family says he's now at the top of the transplant list.