In 2019, 23-year-old Kodi Lee rose to fame when he auditioned for American Got Talent (AGT). When he came on stage with his mother, I saw this cute young man that put a smile on my face. When he said “hello”, I just wanted to give him a hug. He had everybody in stitches when he was answering the judges’ questions. When he started to sing, Simon Cowell had this look of surprise in his face: I’m sure he wasn’t expecting Kodi to have a lovely voice. After he had finished singing, he had a standing ovation (judges inclusive). Gabrielle Union, one of the judges pressed the Golden Buzzer. This means that he was automatically going to the live shows of the competition. Looking at all his performances, he was flawless. He is a charmer. He had that likeability factor despite his disability. I am sure that there was never a dull moment everywhere he went.
#Autism is part of who I am – Dr Temple Grandin.#
One thing I noticed is that he was a born performer. All his performances were effortless. We all have a talent within us. He didn’t let his disability define him: according to his mum ‘music saved his life’. There was a bond between them. Watching the way, they interacted with each other we could see that there is a bond between them. Mum also said on son’s first audition they ‘found out that he loved music’. She also went on further that son ‘listened and his eyes just went huge, and he started singing’. That was when mum said that she ‘was in tears and realised that son was an entertainer’. It is always good to identify someone’s talent / passion and nurture it early in life.
# Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be – Rita Pierson. #
I have learnt from Kodi Lee that we should all focus on our strengths, develop it, and turn it in a career. If he can make a difference so can we. God has placed something in each one of us: it is up to us to rediscover ourselves.
#Do not fear people with Autism, embrace them. Do not spite people with Autism, unite them. Do not deny the people with Autism, accept them for then their abilities will shine. Paul Isaacs. #