“God carried me, and even to this day, I still don’t know how I got through it. I know God carried me through the hardest times. When life gets harder, hold on to God tighter.”                                                                      Tina Lee

1996 – Lake Elsinore, California: Tina and Eric Lee sat in the ophthalmology waiting room. Tina held their 6-month-old baby boy, Kodi, in her arms. They had noticed something wrong with the movement of the baby’s eyes. They prayed for a good report. The diagnosis was Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, the most common cause of blindness in children, a condition where the optic nerve doesn’t develop fully. Kodi was blind.

There were more questions than answers. Tina cried, “Eric, I don’t know if I can do this.” Then she whispered, “God, I put this in your hands because I don’t know what to do.”  Eric reached out to console her, “Honey, Kodi is special. We’ll get through this.”

Kodi was a difficult child. He had frequent temper tantrums, withdrew from Eric and Tina’s touch, and didn’t talk. The young couple struggled to find a way to interact with him, which finally happened when Kodi was two. Eric played Mary Had a Little Lamb on Kodi’s child piano, and to his shock and amazement, Kodi reached over and played the song back to him.

By age 3, Kodi had taught himself to play a piano that friends had donated. He sat for hours alone, entertaining himself. He could play any song he heard on the radio. When Kodi was 4, Tina took him to a specialist because he continued to be hyperactive and emotionally reactive. Tina and Eric were devastated to learn that not only was their son blind, but he was also autistic.

Discouraged but determined, Tina began to use music to help Kodi navigate through his dark world. She and a therapist worked three hours a day with Kodi. There were many days when it seemed they took one step forward, only to take three steps back. Tina often retreated to the shower and cried out of frustration and exhaustion, but she persisted. By age 7, Kodi was playing and singing at various public venues in Southern California.

Kodi Lee is one of roughly 25 known prodigious musical savants in the world. He has perfect pitch and audio-photographic musical memory, allowing him to sing and play any song in any genre after just one listen. Kodi has a passion for all types of music, from classical composers like Bach and Mozart to gospel, pop, jazz, rhythm & blues, and rock. He holds a vast library of songs in his head. He plays five instruments, including drums.

On May 28, 2019, the 22-year-old musical prodigy, who was assisted on and off the stage by his mother, auditioned for NBC’s America’s Got Talent (AGT) Season 14 competition. His audition received a standing ovation from the four judges and the studio audience. Long-time AGT judge, Simon Cowell, was blown away by Kodi’s talent and commented, “What just happened was extraordinary. Kodi, your voice is absolutely fantastic. I’m going to remember this moment for the rest of my life.”

 Show host, Gabrielle Union, was so moved by Kodi’s performance that she pressed the Golden Buzzer, sending him straight to the show’s quarter finals. Kodi’s audition was a viral sensation with more than 300 million views on the internet. In the show’s season finale on September 18, 2019, Kodi performed You Are the Reason by Calum Scott. Once again he received a standing ovation. He walked away with the Season 14 $1 million prize.

Since his appearance on America’s Got Talent, Kodi has garnered national and international fame. He returns to the America’s Got Talent stage for special appearances and to compete in spin-off shows like AGT: All-Stars and Fantasy League. In 2024, he headlined AGT Superstars Live Show at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas for four months.

Today, 29-year-old Kodi is under a contract with two record labels, Syco Entertainment and Columbia Records. His YouTube channel has more than 400,000 subscribers, and his Instagram account has 350,000 followers. With Tina by his side to assist him, Kodi travels worldwide pursuing his dream of becoming a rock star.

“Every mother wants to give their child the sun, the moon, and the rainbow. I was determined to help turn Kodi’s darkness to light through his music, but it wasn’t always easy,” says Tina. “I know what it feels like to want to give up. I’ve been there hundreds of times. I have cried in the shower countless times. Parents of children with special needs, don’t give up. If you just keep going, beautiful things will eventually happen.”