Before watching this amazing moment from America’s Got Talent, we’re just going to warn you to get your tissues ready!
A 22-year-old, blind, autistic boy named Kodi Lee has taken the internet by storm. The world discovered him at the premiere of America's Got Talent Season 14, which aired on Tuesday (May 28). The Southern California native delivered one of the most emotional performances in the history of AGT as he sat down at the piano to perform a tear-jerking rendition of A Song For You by Leon Russell.
His performance brought the audience as well as judges Simon Cowell, Gabrielle Union, Julianne Hough and Howie Mandel to their feet and tears to their eyes.
"You're a great inspiration and a great talent. It was amazing," Howie said. "I heard you, and I felt you, and that was beautiful," Julianne told the 22-year-old singer, as she held back tears. Simon then remarked that he was going to "remember this moment for the rest of my life."
The biggest compliment of all was when Gabrielle slammed her hand on the golden buzzer and sent Kodi straight to the live shows.
Lee was accompanied by his mother, Tina, who explained how music saved his life. "We found out that he loved music really early on. He listened and his eyes just went huge. And he started singing, and that's when I was in tears, because I realized he is an entertainer. Through music and performing, he was able to withstand living in this world, because when you're autistic, it's really hard to do what everybody else does. It actually has saved his life, playing music," Tina said onstage.
Words will not do justice to his performance. You will have to see it for yourself to believe it. But before you do that, we’re just going to warn you to get your tissues ready!
Backstage after the audition was over, Gabrielle Union told Kodi, “you just changed the world!”
The talented performer has caught the attention of numerous well-known personalities such as Oprah Winfrey, Terry Crews, and Joe Ingles.
His website 'Kodi Lee Rocks' describes him as a 'musical prodigious savant'. He has been playing piano and singing across the world for years. Kodi has an audio photographic memory and can easily recall music after listening to it just one time — including songs in different languages.
According to The San Diego Union Tribune, Kodi was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia (a visual disorder) when he was just three months old. Lee almost died because of this. However, he survived but was pronounced blind due to the condition. Then, at age four, he was diagnosed with autism. The conditions reportedly have affected his hormones and how he processes emotions. Although Kodi laughs spontaneously, his mother Tina says he can’t tell people when he is hurting or in danger.
Even still, he can play more than six instruments and has been performing since he was just three. On top of that, he is also a talented tap dancer. "He’s a born entertainer," Tina, told the portal. "He is such a happy boy. He is loving and inspiring and has so much to offer the world.”
"When you're autistic, it's really hard to do what everybody else does. It actually has saved his life, playing music," Tina said on Tuesday's season 14 premiere.
Tina told the Tribune back in 2012 that her son had hoped to be on AGT or American Idol one day, a win for Kodi would be one of his greatest accomplishments yet. “This is Kodi’s dream,” Tina said.
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