Bullying will never do anyone good, either the receiving end or the people surrounding the victim. It’s a pressing issue that affects everyone – some gets traumatized so much that this impacts them throughout their lives while others come out stronger.
It doesn’t discriminate either when it comes to age, and unfortunately, even those who had suffered enough from a disease or a condition are not exempted, too.
Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer
One of those who encountered bullying is Tyler Butler Figueroa, who really doesn’t ring a bell until he joined the talent search “America’s Got Talent.”
The North Carolina resident slayed with his violin skills, so much so that he rightfully earned a Golden Buzzer from no less than Simon Cowell, who is known for being very stern and strict when it comes to judging.
That said, it meant so much that he received such a reward from the 59-year-old executive producer and it said so much of how talented the child was.
Each judge has one chance to press the Golden Buzzer which advances the candidate straight to the live shows. They also have red buttons each, but contrary to the other button, these ones are pressed when they are not keen on the performance of the contestant.
Battling Cancer and Bullying
We can all conclude that Tyler really did deserve the award, what with his mad violin-playing skills to the song of Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger.” But more than his talent, he also shared a very heartbreaking story: at 4, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
His mom remembered vividly the day she noticed something different with his son while having dinner and after seeing him so pale – she knew she had to rush him to the hospital where, after blood works, showed he had the disease.
After undergoing chemotherapy that resulted in hair loss, he was bullied by his classmates. The 11-year-old narrated how the other kids in school would make fun of him and spread rumors that cancer is contagious, so everyone just wanted to stay away from him. But thankfully, he discovered his love for the musical instrument when he turned 7.
Turning to Violin
Tyler, who took to the streets to perform just to raise money so he could fly to the audition, admitted that he turned to violin to forget about the awful things he had experienced and revealed he didn’t want to be known as the child who had cancer but one who can play the violin.
What he showed to the judges was nothing short of perfect and had, in fact, earned him a standing ovation from the onlookers.
Simon, as well as all the other judges, was obviously in awe of the performance and asked the little guy of his current situation. Tyler is in remission for the past four years.