Today, it is common that many children start learning to play an instrument when they are around 5 or 6 years old. But few show the extraordinary talent of Avett Ray Maness. What makes Avett’s story truly remarkable is that he’s blind. Despite this, his passion and talent for music have shone.
The six-year-old boy from Dayton taught himself to play piano by ear and now he can perform incredible renditions of classic songs.
His story is not only inspiring but it makes many cry. Diagnosed with optic nerve fibroplasia at birth, he lost full sight in one eye and most of it in the other. Despite being almost completely blind, Avett’s connection to music emerged early, surprising everyone.
It is unbelievable but true that at just 11 months old, he began playing his first piano tunes. By the time he could stand on his own, Avett was already picking out familiar melodies like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
Avett’s mom, Sara Moore, told CBS News, “Music is in his body. He’s really practicing on performing now. Since his talent is so amazing, people are asking him to perform.”
In one of his viral videos, young Avett has captured the hearts of millions with his stunning piano performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Despite being so small that his arms barely reach the keys, this talented child plays with remarkable skill and passion.
Dressed in glasses and sitting at the piano, he briefly introduces himself before launching into the song. It’s incredible to witness him play with such confidence, even though he can’t fully see the keys.
Enjoy his rendition of the famous song in the video below, which has amassed 9.5M views:
Scrolling to the comments, many viewers express their admiration and respect for a young talent. One writes, “I love how he corrects himself… he’s so tiny! He needs a keyboard he can actually reach! When he gets bigger, he is going to be utterly spectacular!”
Another adds, “this boy just made me question what I’m doing with my life. Extreme talent. This song isn’t easy and he’s killing it. How.”