Tuesday, March 19, 2025, MST – Kodi Lee’s voice hits you like a wave—a sound so pure it stops you cold. My mom heard a story about an autistic and blind child singing for his mother, stunning the world, and she was curious if it actually happened. That sent us on a journey, looking for anything close, and that’s when we stumbled across Kodi. I watched his America’s Got Talent audition, tears streaming, thinking of my autistic niece and nephew—so touched I had to highlight it here. We dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly—this is beautiful and inspirational.
Born with optic nerve hypoplasia, Kodi lost his sight early. At four, autism joined in, along with Addison’s disease, per his family’s accounts. Music grabbed him young—his mom, Tina, says he’d light up at a tune, singing it back after one listen. Experts call him a musical savant—perfect pitch, photographic audio memory, one of maybe 25 worldwide with his gift, per npr.org. By three, he was performing, mastering six instruments and dance moves—a kid who couldn’t see or talk like others but spoke through song.
May 28, 2019, changed it all. Kodi stepped onto AGT’s Season 14 stage, Tina beside him, and played Donny Hathaway’s “A Song for You.” His voice floored me—judge Gabrielle Union hit her Golden Buzzer, tears falling, sending him to the live shows, per nbc.com. “I heard you, and I felt you,” judge Julianne Hough said, per goodhousekeeping.com. Simon Cowell called it “extraordinary”—45 million YouTube views later, the world felt it too. Kodi powered through—“Bridge Over Troubled Water” with Paul Simon’s nod, “You Are the Reason” solo, then with Leona Lewis in the finale, winning September 18 with $1 million and a Vegas headline slot.
That $1 million’s an annuity—about $25,000 a year for 40 years, or a lump sum near $200,000 after taxes, per businessinsider.com. The real win was Vegas—headlining at Paris Las Vegas, November 7-10, 2019. He’s since rocked AGT: All-Stars (2023, Bottom 6), Fantasy League (2024, Bottom 5 after Howie Mandel’s Golden Buzzer steal), and now stars in AGT Superstars Live at Luxor, per people.com. His originals—“Miracle,” “Change,” “Hello World” with Colin Hay—keep coming, per youtube.com.
Kodi’s more than talent—he’s a spark. Tina told usatoday.com, “He’s changed the world,” lifting families like mine with special needs kids. Union said he’s proof ability beats labels, per goldderby.com. Harvard’s gate’s tiny—Kodi’s stage was AGT’s vote, not connections. Want more? Email info@kodilee.com—“Where’s he singing next?” Share your story at AshesOnAir.org—what lifts talent like his? Our forefathers fought for a shot—Kodi’s voice proves it’s worth it.
Sources
- NPR – https://www.npr.org
- NBC – https://www.nbc.com
- Good Housekeeping – https://www.goodhousekeeping.com
- Business Insider – https://www.businessinsider.com
- People – https://www.people.com
- YouTube – https://www.youtube.com
- USA Today – https://www.usatoday.com
- Gold Derby – https://www.goldderby.com
Ashes on Air 
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