America’s Got Talent is a talent show that allows contestants to come on and audition live on television. The experience is terrifying for anyone but imagine how it must feel to a teenage boy.
Christian Guardino, 16, had been blind his whole life but was finally cured by a program that changed his life. Christian’s mom knew that something was wrong with her son. After a few years, he was diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a rare retinal disease.
Since he was in total darkness Christian turned to music to help him cope. It gave him a place to go to forget about his disability. Christian believes that his blindness helped him heighten his sense of hearing. Recently Christian participated in an experimental gene therapy that restored his sight. Now Christian could focus all his energy in his singing career.
That is how he ended up on America’s Got Talent.
Christian must have appeared nervous because as soon as he stepped on stage Simon Cowell asked the teen “are you nervous”. His nerves melted away and he sang the Jackson 5 song “Who’s Loving You” without any crakles or missed notes.
“You were like a little mouse that turned into a lion,” Simon Cowell said to Christian afterwards. “You are one of my favorite contestants I’ve seen this year. Not only in terms of your voice. I just like you. There’s something about you, and it’s just the best possible feeling when we meet someone like you.”
Howie Mendel also loved Christian because he reached over and pushed the coveted Golden Buzzer! Christian reacted by breaking down in tears. His dreams were finally coming true.
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