What a tear-jerker!
A sweet 22-year-old from Southern California, Kodi Lee, surpassed all expectations during his performance on "America's Got Talent."
It was more than just his performance that wowed the audience and judges. It was his heart and the inspiration he brought.
When he first appeared on the stage, he came with the help of his mother Tina Lee and was aided by a cane.
"Kodi is blind and autistic," Tina Lee explained. "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 that's when I realized, oh my gosh -- he's an entertainer."
Once it was time for him to sing, his mother assisted him to the piano and gave him a quick pep talk. But Kodi didn't need it. He was ready. He performed "A Song for You" by Leon Russell.
As soon as he started singing the crowd and judges changed. You could see in the camera their eyes widening. By the end of the performance the audience and judges all were standing to give Kodi an ovation.
Juliana Hough was seen wiping tear from her face and told Kodi, "I just want to say that I heard you and I felt you and that was beautiful."
He even impressed tough critic Simon Cowell, who went on to say, " What just happened there was extraordinary. Your voice is absolutely fantastic. You have a really beautiful tone. Thank you so much for trusting us on this show. I'm going to remember this moment for the rest of my life."
Gabrielle Union was so impressed by the performance that she pressed the show's golden buzzer, meaning he will automatically make it to the live shows in Hollywood.